Punjab Congress Senior Leader Raj Kumar Chabbewal Joins AAP, Quits Party

Raj Kumar Chabbewal, a Punjab Congress lawmaker from Chabbewal, announced on Friday that he would be leaving the party’s primary membership effective immediately. Shortly afterward, Chabbewal became a member of the Aam Admi Party’s Punjab branch. “The family of AAP Punjab strengthened, current MLA from Chabewal Constituency of Hoshiarpur District Rajkumar Chabewal ji joined the Aam Aadmi Party after being influenced by the pro-people policies of the party,” the AAP Punjab unit wrote in its welcome message on X. Welcome to the party, Raj Chabbewal.”

He had earlier said, “I hereby tender my resignation from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress with immediate effect,” in a brief letter of resignation sent to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Chabbewal also wrote on X, “I hereby submit my resignation from membership of legislative assembly, Punjab, with immediate effect,” in another letter to the speaker of the Punjab Assembly. There was no explanation given by Chabbewal for his resignation. In the State Assembly elections of 2022, Chabbewal was re-elected from Chabbewal. Despite reaching a seat-sharing agreement in New Delhi, the Congress and Aam Admi Party (AAP), partners in the opposition INDIA bloc formed to oppose the Modi-led BJP government, will contest elections separately in Punjab in the Lok Sabha elections.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won four seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, while the Congress-led UPA alliance won eight. One seat was won by the AAP, which was running for office for the first time in the state. Sukhbir Singh Badal, the president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), refuted rumors that his party was forming an alliance with the BJP, though he did not completely rule out the prospect of a future partnership. The Akalis were once allies of the BJP in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which was in power at the federal level. The two even ran together in the 2019 state Lok Sabha elections but were unsuccessful.

The Akalis were once allies of the BJP in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which was in power at the federal level. The two even ran together in the 2019 state Lok Sabha elections but were unsuccessful. “As far as the BJP and I are aware, there is no alliance in Punjab. The rumors of a partnership are limited to social media. We would like to run for each of the state’s thirteen Lok Sabha seats at this time. Although we are in an alliance with the BSP, I am not completely ruling out the prospect of working with the BJP. You are more than welcome to join us if you share our desire to preserve Punjab. We are unable and unwilling to follow the Congress or the AAP “broom.”