Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann travels to Delhi to meet President Droupadi Murmu following the defection of seven Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MPs to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Multiple reports say Mann leaves for Rashtrapati Bhavan with party MLAs. Business Standard adds that Mann is scheduled to meet the President at noon on Tuesday. Hindustan Times reports that Mann and rebel AAP MPs led by Raghav Chadha plan to meet the President separately the same day.
The defections occurred on April 24, when seven of AAP’s 10 Rajya Sabha MPs—Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikramjit Sahney and Swati Maliwal—quit the party and joined the BJP. The MPs cite claims that AAP has moved away from its principles, values and core morals. Hindustan Times also describes the dispute as involving political concerns and alleged vendetta.
While heading to Delhi, Mann states that all AAP MLAs remain united with the party, and refers to the President as the constitutional guardian.
