In a significant political setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, three of its prominent rebel leaders — Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra and Chetan Singh Jouramajra — joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Delhi on Monday, November 2.
The high-profile defections come amid mounting discontent within the AAP’s Punjab unit, exposing growing cracks in the party’s organisational structure just months after it began preparations for the next Assembly elections.
The three leaders’ departure follows a series of resignations and disagreements with the party leadership, raising questions about AAP’s ability to retain its legislators and maintain unity in Punjab.
Two MLAs Resign from AAP, Kunwar Vijay Pratap Quits Assembly
The political developments gathered momentum on Sunday when Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra and Chetan Singh Jouramajra announced their resignation from the AAP’s primary membership.
Pathanmajra, who represents the Sanaur Assembly constituency in Patiala district, sent his resignation to AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, announcing that he was leaving the party with immediate effect.
Jouramajra, the MLA from Samana and a former Cabinet minister in the Bhagwant Mann government, announced his decision through a social media post.
Both leaders were reportedly unhappy with the party leadership’s decisions concerning their constituencies. The appointment of new constituency in-charges in Sanaur and Samana had further fuelled speculation that the AAP was considering changes to its candidate selection for the 2027 elections.
On Monday, Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, a former IPS officer and MLA from Amritsar North, announced his resignation from the Punjab Legislative Assembly.
He submitted his resignation to Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, stating that it would take effect from November 1, 2026.
Singh had already been suspended from the AAP for five years in June 2025 over alleged anti-party activities. His suspension followed his criticism of the Punjab Vigilance Bureau’s action against Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia in a disproportionate assets case.
Kunwar Vijay Pratap Says ‘Punjab First’
In a message addressed to the people of Amritsar, Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh thanked his constituents for their support and said he would remain indebted to them until his last breath.
He called for Punjab to move beyond what he described as the politics of narrow local interests and ceremonial ribbon-cutting, arguing that the state needed a renewed focus on development and governance.
Highlighting the challenges facing Punjab, Singh pointed to drug abuse, extortion, gangsterism and corruption, calling for clean politics and transparent administration.
He also claimed to have achieved nearly 90 per cent of the targets he had set for himself as an MLA.
Recalling his interventions in the Punjab Assembly, Singh said he had consistently raised issues affecting Amritsar, including water supply, sewage management, Company Bagh, Guru Nanak Dev University, Government Medical College, Saroop Rani College and the Bargari sacrilege case.
He described ending the ‘mai-baap’ culture in politics and making the public his source of inspiration as one of his biggest achievements.
Calling for a collective effort to chart Punjab’s future, he said his objective would remain ‘Punjab First’, with no room for personal interests.
AAP’s Candidate List Triggers Fresh Political Trouble
The defections come days after the AAP announced its first list of 40 candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
The list named Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann as its candidate from Dhuri, Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan from Kotkapura and jailed minister Sanjeev Arora from Ludhiana West.
Several other ministers also featured in the list, including Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal from Ajnala, Balkar Singh from Kartarpur, Jai Krishan Singh Rouri from Garhshankar, Kulwant Singh from SAS Nagar and Labh Singh Ugoke from Bhadaur.
However, the announcement appears to have aggravated existing tensions within the party. Neither Pathanmajra nor Jouramajra featured in the first list, while the appointment of new constituency in-charges in their respective constituencies added to the uncertainty surrounding their political future.
Pathanmajra has also been embroiled in controversy after a rape case was registered against him. He reportedly travelled to Australia after the case was registered and was subsequently arrested upon returning to India. He had also been involved in disagreements with the party leadership over constituency-related matters.
Jouramajra, meanwhile, was dropped from the Cabinet during a reshuffle in the Bhagwant Mann government. His differences with the leadership reportedly intensified after former SAD leader Surjit Singh Rakhra was appointed constituency in-charge of Samana.
Can AAP Hold Its Ground in Punjab?
The latest defections present an uncomfortable challenge for the AAP as it prepares to defend its position in Punjab in 2027.
The party had registered a spectacular victory in the 2022 Assembly elections, winning 92 of the state’s 117 seats and reducing the Congress to just 18.
However, the departure of three prominent leaders, coupled with the recent resignations and internal disagreements, raises questions about whether the party can reproduce its electoral performance.
With the BJP now welcoming three AAP rebels into its ranks, the political equation in Punjab could become increasingly competitive ahead of the next Assembly elections.
