After Rajya Sabha exodus, AAP summons 94 Punjab MLAs to Jalandhar amid defection buzz

“This meeting is about immediate damage control, along with reinforcing political messaging in a region that the party sees as key to its future prospects. Whether it succeeds in halting further cracks within the organisation will become clearer in the days ahead,” said a senior party leader.

Containing the ‘RS exodus’ fallout

Party insiders said the timing is critical. The exit of senior leaders, including those who played a key role in shaping AAP’s Punjab strategy, has triggered unease within sections of the party.

Particular attention is likely to be paid to MLAs who secured tickets in the 2022 Assembly elections on the recommendation of former Rajya Sabha MPs Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak. Several of these legislators are believed to still be in touch with the two leaders, raising concerns within the party.

Sources indicated that the activities of some MLAs are now under close watch, with feedback being gathered through internal channels. The leadership is expected to send a strong message against any anti-party activity, and Sisodia may issue strong instructions against the defection.

In a statement Monday, Raghav Chadha said the AAP has now become a party of a few “compromised people” and was no longer the organisation he had joined 15 years ago. Chadha also alleged that the party’s internal environment had turned “toxic,” with leaders being discouraged from speaking on key issues.

Insiders believe such remarks could deepen internal cracks.

Sources said that during the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, the quota of tickets allocated to candidates recommended by Chadha and Pathak was higher than those backed by Bhagwant Mann.

The meeting also comes amid mounting political pressure, with Opposition leaders claiming that over 60 AAP MLAs are in touch with rival parties — a claim the AAP leadership has not officially responded to but appears to be taking seriously.

Discontent has also been linked to past cabinet reshuffles, in which several ministers were dropped, as well as emerging anti-incumbency concerns, sources added.

The strategic ‘karambhoomi’

The choice of Jalandhar, the heart of Punjab’s NRI belt where the diaspora played a major role during the 2022 Assembly elections and earlier Lok Sabha polls, is also politically significant. Located in the Doaba region, where AAP’s performance in 2022 was relatively weaker than its sweep in Malwa and its strong showing in Majha, the city has increasingly become central to the party’s recalibration strategy.

During the 2024 Jalandhar by-election, Mann made an unconventional political move by shifting to rented accommodation in the city, later moving into official premises and opening a functional office.

Ahead of the 2024 Jalandhar bypoll, Mann had shifted base to the city, positioning it as an administrative hub and promising greater accessibility for residents. His renewed political activity there, including public outreach events, signals a continued focus on the region ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.

By stating that “the government itself is at your doorstep,” Mann attempted to symbolically reduce the physical and political distance between the leadership and the electorate. Calling Jalandhar his “karambhoomi,” he pledged to personally clear development-related files.

Although his physical presence reportedly declined after the 2024 bypoll, with less than a year remaining for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, Mann’s renewed political activity in Jalandhar signals more than routine governance. He even celebrated his two-year-old daughter’s birthday at his Jalandhar residence in March, attended by around 2,000 guests from political, official and social circles.

This reflects a calibrated regional strategy that began during the July 2024 by-election and is now entering a consolidation phase, including multiple visits and Lok Milnis at his residence—signalling a revival of that outreach approach.

In 2023, the AAP registered a historic sweep across Malwa and Majha. However, Doaba remained the only belt where the party’s dominance was relatively restrained, winning 10 out of 23 Assembly seats—strong but short of a sweep, preventing a complete statewide clean sweep.

Alongside Lok Milnis and development announcements, including healthcare and infrastructure initiatives, the region — with its strong NRI links and mixed urban-rural profile — is seen as electorally sensitive ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.