BJP MP Raghav Chadha met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan to allege political harassment by the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab.
The meeting highlights escalating tensions between the BJP and AAP following a wave of defections. Chadha's appeal to the president suggests that state machinery is being used as a tool for political retaliation rather than law enforcement.
During the meeting in New Delhi, Chadha said that the Punjab government is conducting a political vendetta against former AAP MPs. He specifically flagged the treatment of seven MPs [1] who quit the AAP and subsequently joined the BJP.
Chadha said the state government is misusing its power to target these individuals. According to the MP, the harassment serves as a retaliatory measure against those who switched party affiliations.
The encounter at Rashtrapati Bhavan marks a formal escalation of the dispute. By bringing the matter to the president, Chadha is seeking high-level intervention in what he describes as a systemic effort to intimidate defectors.
The BJP continues to position itself as the protector of these former AAP members, while the AAP government in Punjab has not issued a formal response to these specific allegations of state-led harassment.
“The BJP MP accused the Punjab government of harassing seven former AAP members who defected to the BJP.”
This move by Raghav Chadha elevates a regional political conflict in Punjab to the national stage. By involving the president, the BJP is attempting to frame the AAP's actions not merely as political rivalry, but as a violation of democratic norms and an abuse of state power. This strategy puts pressure on the central administration to monitor the governance of the AAP-led state more closely.
