Punjab Chief Minister to meet President on May 5, demands action after seven AAP MPs switch to BJP
April 29, 2026: Bhagwant Mann is set to meet Droupadi Murmu on May 5 after seven Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MPs defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party. The Chief Minister said the President accepted his request for an appointment and scheduled the meeting at noon. Mann plans to raise the issue of the defecting MPs and seek their “recall,” following what he described as a major setback for the party.
The MPs who switched sides include Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Kumar Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, and Swati Maliwal. Mann earlier indicated he may take a delegation of AAP MLAs from Punjab to present the party’s position, though it remains unclear if they will accompany him for the meeting.
However, legal experts have pointed out that the Indian Constitution does not provide for the “recall” of elected representatives. Former Punjab Advocate General Ashok Aggarwal said such a provision does not exist under any constitutional framework. Opposition leaders, including those from the Shiromani Akali Dal, have termed the move “political theatrics,” arguing that any action against MPs falls under Parliament’s jurisdiction, not the President’s authority.