Political Bureau | New Delhi Chronicle
NEW DELHI: In what marks a major political jolt for the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), high-profile internal friction has boiled over ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly Elections. Suspended AAP rebel leaders and incumbent MLAs, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra and Chetan Singh Jouramajra, arrived at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters in New Delhi on Monday to formally join the party.
The high-stakes political switch comes on the heels of their suspension from AAP over alleged anti-party activities. Following disciplinary action, both leaders handed in their resignations and announced plans to petition the Punjab Assembly Speaker to formally sever their legislative ties.
A Cascade of Crises for the Ruling Party
The mass exit compounds mounting pressures on the state leadership. The political friction escalated following AAP’s release of its first list of 40 candidates for the 2027 legislative polls on October 31. With Pathanmajra (representing Sanaur) and Jouramajra (representing Samana) facing uncertainty over ticket allocations alongside wider internal grievances, the fallout triggered sharp reprimands against the party’s central command.
Addressing a joint press conference, the disgruntled leaders launched a blistering attack on the state government, citing unfulfilled pre-poll promises, worsening law and order, and deep concerns regarding administrative micromanagement by external party leadership.
Concurrently, political circles witnessed further tremors as Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh separately announced his resignation from the Punjab Legislative Assembly, amplifying questions surrounding political stability within the state apparatus.
Shifting Political Equations in Punjab
As the BJP intensifies its groundwork to expand its footprint in the border state—building momentum through strategic alliance negotiations and anti-drug campaigns—the induction of grassroots leaders like Pathanmajra and Jouramajra is expected to redraw political lines in the Patiala region.
Political analysts view the development as a critical test for AAP’s damage-control mechanism as it attempts to preserve internal unity ahead of what is shaping up to be an intensely contested battle for the 117-member Punjab Assembly.
The New Delhi Chronicle’s Political Bureau will continue tracking developments as the formal induction ceremony unfolds at the BJP national headquarters.
