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AAP slams 7 MPs quitting; alleges BJP's 'Operation Lotus' poaching in Punjab
Seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs quit the party to merge with the BJP, six of them from Punjab. AAP and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann criticized the BJP, accusing it of triggering 'Operation Lotus' to derail Mann's pro-people agenda, while Mann vowed accountability for the betrayal.
Why It Matters
The defections indicate a significant party realignment affecting Punjab's political landscape and raise questions about alleged political maneuvering by the BJP against regional governance.
Timeline
4 Events
Bhagwant Mann condemns betrayal; vows accountability
April 24, 2026
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, speaking at a press conference in Chandigarh, said the people of Punjab will hold accountable those who betray the State, and that such manoeuvres cannot secure political victories in a democracy where Punjabis remain supreme.
AAP accuses BJP of triggering 'Operation Lotus' in Punjab
April 24, 2026
AAP stated that the BJP has triggered ‘Operation Lotus’ to halt the pro-people work being carried out by the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab.
Kejriwal reacts on X to BJP betrayal of Punjabis
April 24, 2026
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal posted on X, saying the BJP has betrayed Punjabis again.
Seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs quit to merge with BJP
April 24, 2026
Seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs resigned from the party to merge with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP); six of the MPs are from Punjab.