New Delhi: In a major political setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, three rebel leaders, including two sitting MLAs, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday, further intensifying the political battle in the state.
The three leaders — Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, Chetan Singh Jouramajra and Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh — formally joined the BJP at its headquarters in New Delhi in the presence of senior party leaders.
The induction was attended by BJP national general secretary and Punjab in-charge Satish Poonia, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon.
The development comes at a crucial time for the AAP, which is preparing for the 2027 Assembly elections amid growing internal differences and criticism of the Bhagwant Mann-led government.
#BreakingNews | Three #AAP MLAs, Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra and Chetan Singh Jauramajra, joined the #BJP at its headquarters in New Delhi, dealing a setback to the AAP government in Punjab. https://t.co/wZsVHBAoBM
— DD News (@DDNewslive) November 2, 2026
Two MLAs Quit AAP After Differences
Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, MLA from Sanaur, and Chetan Singh Jouramajra, MLA from Samana, had announced their resignation from the AAP on Sunday after being suspended by the party over alleged anti-party activities.
Both leaders had reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with the state government’s functioning, raising concerns over corruption, drug abuse, law and order and governance.
Their exit came shortly after the AAP announced its first list of 40 candidates for the 2027 Assembly elections. Neither Sanaur nor Samana figured in the list, further fuelling speculation about growing discontent within the party.
Former IPS Officer Kunwar Vijay Pratap Also Joins BJP
The third leader, Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, is a former IPS officer and MLA from Amritsar North. He had already been suspended from the AAP for five years in June 2025 over alleged anti-party activities.
Singh announced his resignation from the Punjab Assembly on Monday before joining the BJP.
He had earlier been associated with the investigation into the 2015 Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan police-firing incidents, in which two Sikh protesters were killed. He had also repeatedly criticised the state government’s handling of sacrilege-related cases.
BJP Targets Mann Government
Welcoming the three leaders, BJP leaders described their induction as a boost to the party’s preparations for the 2027 Punjab elections.
BJP leaders targeted the Bhagwant Mann government over issues including drug abuse, corruption, crime and governance, alleging that the ruling party had failed to fulfil its promises.
The BJP believes that the political experience and public standing of the three leaders will help strengthen its organisation and expand its influence in Punjab.
AAP Faces Fresh Political Challenge
The defections have triggered a political confrontation between the AAP and BJP. The AAP has criticised the BJP for inducting its rebel leaders and indicated that it may approach the Punjab Assembly Speaker seeking disqualification proceedings against the two MLAs who switched parties.
The development has exposed fresh cracks within the ruling party at a politically sensitive moment.
With the 2027 Assembly elections approaching, the BJP is looking to strengthen its position in Punjab, while the AAP faces the challenge of containing internal dissent and defending its political ground.
The latest defections may add a new dimension to Punjab’s electoral battle, although their actual impact on the BJP’s electoral prospects will become clearer in the coming months.
