AAP Civil War Reaches President, 'Democracy Murdered' vs 'Vendetta' Claims

A full blown political confrontation between the Aam Aadmi Party and its rebel Rajya Sabha MPs has reached the doors of President Droupadi Murmu, with both sides presenting starkly different accounts of the same crisis and accusing each other of undermining democracy.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met the President seeking cancellation of the MPs' membership, calling their switch to the BJP “unconstitutional” and a direct assault on democratic norms. Backed by signatures of 95 MLAs, Mann argued that a valid merger requires a collective decision of the party, not a move by a section of MPs in one House. “This is not a merger, this is a manipulation of the system,” he said, urging legal intervention.

Hours before that meeting, Raghav Chadha along with fellow MPs including Sandeep Pathak had met the President, alleging that the Punjab government is carrying out “dangerous vendetta politics” after their decision to merge with the BJP. Chadha claimed state machinery was being used to intimidate and target them through raids, FIRs and administrative pressure.

The rebel MPs pointed to alleged incidents involving Harbhajan Singh, where slogans branding him a traitor were written outside his residence, as well as action against businesses linked to Ashok Kumar Mittal and legal cases against Pathak. “We exercised our constitutional rights. Now we are being punished for it,” Chadha said, adding that more cases could follow, including against him.

Pathak described the FIRs as fabricated and said he was ready to fight them legally. “Register cases, but do not step back later. You cannot run a government through fear,” he said.

The political optics of the day added another layer to the confrontation. While Mann went in alone to meet the President, several AAP MLAs from Punjab were stopped near Rail Bhawan amid heavy police deployment. The Chief Minister had sought a joint meeting but was given time individually.

Responding to the allegations, Mann dismissed charges of vendetta and said any action taken by his government would be strictly within the framework of law. He sharpened his attack on the BJP, accusing it of encouraging defections and shielding leaders after they switch sides. He also reacted strongly to BJP leaders suggesting Punjab could be the party's next political target after other states.

“Punjab is not a number in a sequence, it is not a territory waiting for its turn,” Mann said, rejecting the idea that the state could be politically “taken over” next. He warned that attempts to destabilise his government would not succeed and said Punjab Police would act against any wrongdoing regardless of political affiliation.

Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu took a swipe at Mann, remarking that AAP legislators were left waiting outside in the heat while the Chief Minister met the President.

At the heart of the dispute is the April 24 move in which seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs, two thirds of the party's strength in the Upper House, announced their merger with the BJP. While the rebels claim constitutional backing for their decision, the AAP leadership insists the move violates the spirit and letter of the law.

With both sides now invoking constitutional principles and taking their battle to the highest office, the confrontation has moved beyond party lines into a larger political and legal test that is likely to unfold in the days ahead.