Chandigarh-The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab suffered a major political setback on Sunday as two sitting MLAs, Chetan Singh Jouramajra and Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra, resigned from the party’s primary membership, just a day after the party announced its first list of 40 candidates for the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
Jouramajra represents Samana, while Pathanmajra is the MLA from Sanaur, both constituencies in Patiala district. Their resignations have triggered fresh questions about internal dissent, candidate selection and the party’s preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections.
Chetan Singh Jouramajra, a former Cabinet minister in the Bhagwant Mann government, announced his resignation through social media. Confirming his decision, he reportedly said that he no longer felt connected with the party and described the situation in Punjab as heartbreaking. His removal from the Cabinet during an earlier reshuffle had already been viewed as a political setback.
Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra also submitted his resignation to AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. The Sanaur MLA had previously expressed differences with the party leadership and raised questions about the functioning of the state government. His political position had also been affected by a criminal case registered against him, in which he was granted regular bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The allegations remain subject to legal proceedings.
The resignations came amid growing speculation over the party’s candidate selection strategy. AAP had appointed new constituency in-charges in both Samana and Sanaur, a move widely interpreted as a possible indication that the sitting MLAs might not receive tickets for the 2027 elections. Former Akali leader Surjit Singh Rakhra was given charge of Samana, while Ranjodh Hadana was appointed constituency in-charge of Sanaur.
Although neither constituency was included in AAP’s first list of 40 candidates, the appointments reportedly added to concerns among the two legislators about their political future within the party.
The development comes at a crucial time for AAP, which is seeking to retain power in Punjab in 2027. The departure of two sitting legislators raises questions about whether the party’s early candidate announcements and organisational changes could lead to further dissatisfaction among its leaders.
Reports have suggested that both MLAs may join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but their future political affiliations have not been officially confirmed.
The resignations mark an early challenge for AAP as it enters election preparation mode, with the party leadership now facing the task of managing internal differences while maintaining its political strength across Punjab.
Source: The Indian Express, PTI and The Tribune.