AAP protest erupts as Rajinder Gupta joins BJP in Ludhiana
AAP protest erupts as Rajinder Gupta joins BJP in Ludhiana
Protests erupt outside Ludhiana residence as Rajinder Gupta joins BJP; AAP claims over two-thirds of MPs back the move, while anti-defection law implications loom.
Protests erupted outside the Ludhiana residence of Rajya Sabha MP Rajinder Gupta after he joined the BJP, with Aam Aadmi Party workers defacing walls and burning his effigy. The scene underscored a sharp split within the party, as AAP MP Raghav Chadha announced that more than two-thirds of AAP MPs backed the move to realign with the BJP.
Raghav Chadha claimed that a substantial majority of AAP MPs supported the decision, signaling a major setback for the party. In parallel, the party signaled it would pursue action under the anti-defection provisions, which have long been a point of contention in Indian politics. The Hindu reported that the anti-defection law does not acknowledge splits or factions even with a two-thirds majority, complicating any immediate parliamentary moves.
AAP has indicated it intends to write to the Rajya Sabha chairman seeking disqualification of defected MPs, adding a formal process to what observers are calling a high-stakes political realignment ahead of upcoming parliamentary sessions. The unfolding events in Ludhiana reflect rising tensions within the national political landscape as defections threaten to reshape party dynamics and messaging going into the next electoral cycle.
Analysts say the episode could influence how parties manage internal dissent and how voters perceive loyalty and principles in politics, especially when alignment shifts appear to be driven by strategic calculation as much as by ideology.
