CHANDIGARH, May 2: Punjab’s political landscape witnessed fresh turbulence after police reportedly registered two FIRs against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak under non-bailable provisions, according to official sources on Saturday.
While authorities have not publicly disclosed the exact charges or circumstances linked to the cases, the development has sparked intense political discussion due to Pathak’s recent switch from the Aam Aadmi Party to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The FIRs come barely days after a dramatic political realignment in the Upper House of Parliament. Pathak was among seven Rajya Sabha members who resigned from the AAP and formally aligned with the BJP, delivering a major setback to the party leadership.
The lawmakers who exited the AAP included Raghav Chadha, Harbhajan Singh, Swati Maliwal, Ashok Mittal, Rajendra Gupta and Vikramjit Sahney. Most of the MPs belonged to Punjab, a state where the AAP had earlier registered sweeping electoral success.
The dissident MPs had accused the party leadership of abandoning its founding ideology and deviating from the principles on which the movement was originally built. In a joint statement issued during their resignation, the leaders alleged that the party no longer reflected transparency, internal democracy or accountability.
The political shake-up significantly weakened the AAP’s presence in the Rajya Sabha. Following the resignations, Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan officially recognised the merger of the rebel MPs with the BJP, reducing the AAP’s tally in the Upper House to just three members.
Political observers believe the filing of the FIRs could further intensify the confrontation between the ruling establishment in Punjab and the BJP leadership at the national level. However, neither the Punjab Police nor Pathak has issued a detailed public statement regarding the allegations so far.
The latest development is expected to trigger sharp reactions across political circles, especially as Punjab remains a key battleground ahead of future electoral contests.