CHANDIGARH: A political face-off in Punjab heads to Rashtrapati Bhavan as rival camps led by Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha and CM Bhagwant Mann seek to meet the President within hours of each other Monday, amid a row over defections and alleged police action.Chadha, among seven AAP MPs who switched to BJP on April 24, is scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu at 10.40am, ahead of Mann at noon seeking “recall” of the defectors. Some MPs are expected to accompany Chadha, who plans to raise alleged “political vendetta”.
The confrontation intensified after reports of two FIRs with non-bailable charges against Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak.Pathak said he had no information on the cases but suggested “misuse of govt machinery”, adding he would respond after seeing FIR copies. AAP spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said he had no information. Punjab police have issued no confirmation for a second day, with officers describing “radio silence”. A senior lawyer said an accused could still seek anticipatory bail.DGP Gaurav Yadav did not respond. BJP functionaries met governor Gulab Chand Kataria, alleging FIRs after AAP MPs’ switch were political retaliation, and sought an impartial probe, citing action against Trident Group owner and MP Rajinder Gupta.
