CHANDIGARH, November 1 (Aalimi Nation) – Two sitting legislators of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab quit the party on Sunday, a day after it announced its first list of candidates for the Assembly elections due in 2027, handing the ruling party a setback in the state.
The MLAs are Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, who represents Sanaur, and Chetan Singh Jouramajra, who represents Samana in Patiala district. Jouramajra is a former state health minister who held the portfolio briefly.
What the MLAs said
Jouramajra announced his decision publicly and gave several reasons. He pointed to what he described as the "ever increasing drug menace in the state", saying drugs remain easily available even though AAP had promised to eradicate them.
He also referred to the recent killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa district as an example of the problem.
Jouramajra further said the party had not delivered the minimum support price (MSP) for farmers that it had promised. According to him, healthcare and education in the state had worsened despite the guarantees given by AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal.
Pathanmajra is reported to have sent his resignation letter to Kejriwal. The specific reasons he gave were not available in the official account of the resignations.
Timing before the polls
The exits came one day after AAP released its first list of 40 candidates for the Punjab Assembly elections, a step that normally sets off sharp competition for tickets within a party. AAP won power in Punjab in 2022, and the 2027 contest will be its first test in the state as an incumbent.
Reports differ on the scope of the resignations. Some say the two left only the primary membership of the party, while others say they also resigned from the Assembly. This has not been officially clarified, and it is not yet known whether their seats have been declared vacant.
There has also been speculation in political circles about where the two leaders will go next, including talk that they may join the Bharatiya Janata Party. Neither leader had publicly confirmed any such move at the time of reporting, and no party has made an announcement on the matter.
Party response awaited
AAP had not issued a response to the resignations at the time of reporting. It is likely to be asked to address the specific allegations on drugs and farm prices.
What to watch
Political observers will look at whether more legislators or office-bearers follow, how AAP fills the Sanaur and Samana constituencies if the two seats are in fact vacated, and whether the party revises its candidate list in response to the departures. The Election Commission has not yet announced the schedule for the 2027 polls.
Details on any formal letters, the Speaker's position on the seats and the future plans of both leaders are awaited.
