Arvind Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor, said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) robbed six Rajya Sabha seats from Punjab.
This political shift significantly weakens the AAP's legislative presence in Punjab and alters the balance of power in the upper house of Parliament. The move comes as both parties prepare for future regional contests.
Seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs [1] quit the party and joined the BJP within a week prior to the interview. Among these defectors, six were from Punjab [3]. Before these defections, the AAP held 10 Rajya Sabha MP seats [2].
"The BJP committed theft," Kejriwal said in an interview with CNBC TV18.
Kejriwal characterized the recruitment of these members as a strategic effort by the BJP to dismantle the AAP's influence in the state. He said the party will respond to these losses during the next electoral cycle.
"We will seek revenge at the Punjab Assembly elections in February 2027," Kejriwal said [4].
The loss of these seats reduces the AAP's ability to influence national legislation and represents a blow to the party's stability in Punjab. The BJP has not issued a formal response to the specific allegation of theft.
“The BJP committed theft.”
The defection of six Punjab-based Rajya Sabha members to the BJP suggests a potential shift in political alignment within the state. By absorbing these members, the BJP increases its legislative footprint while forcing the AAP to rebuild its regional influence before the February 2027 elections.
