Amritsar (Punjab) [India], November 2 : Punjab Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal and AAP MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar reacted to rebel leader Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh joining the BJP and three Punjab AAP MLAs switching parties, asserting that the party remained strong and would return to power with a substantial majority in the 2027 Assembly elections.
Punjab Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal also expressed disapproval over three AAP MLAs leaving the party and joining the BJP, saying that any differences should have been resolved through discussions.
"The people who have left should not have left. If there was any issue, they should have sat down and talked. They shouldn't have done that," Goyal said.
Reacting to Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal's remarks, the Punjab Minister said that people did not take his statements seriously and asserted that the AAP had gained support through its work.
"The Akali Dal is now zero. People have a problem with us because we have done a lot of work. People will vote for us and make us win with a huge majority," he said.
Meanwhile, AAP MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar said that joining another political party was an individual's choice but termed the claim that the AAP was finished an ill-considered remark.
Speaking to ANI, Nijjar said, "It's his wish; he can join whichever party he pleases. But to make a sweeping, blanket statement that 'the Aam Aadmi Party is finished'—that is not a well-considered remark. I wish those who are leaving the party success in their new endeavors, but the AAP will win, and win with a substantial majority, and we are certainly going to form the government in the 2027 elections.”
Questioning the commitment of leaders who leave their constituencies unattended, Nijjar said that elected representatives had a responsibility towards the people who voted for them.
“This is a question that should be posed to those who choose to leave. If you fail to participate or neglect the needs of your constituency, you are doing a disservice to the people of your area, which is a very serious matter. Even if I were to be unhappy with my own party, I still visit my constituency every single day. I have strived to ensure as much development as possible in my constituency, doing the best work that could be done..." he said.
The remarks come amid a political shake-up in Punjab ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, with rebel AAP leaders Kunwar Vijay Pratap, Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra and Chetan Singh Jouramajra joining the BJP earlier today.
AAP had suspended two MLAs, Pathanmajra and Jouramajra, for alleged anti-party activities earlier. Following their suspension, both leaders resigned from the party. AAP stated it would petition the Assembly Speaker to disqualify their legislative membership.
Meanwhile, Kunwar Vijay Pratap announced his resignation from the Punjab Legislative Assembly on Monday. He was suspended from AAP on June 29, 2025.
In an X post addressed to the people of Amritsar, Singh said he would remain indebted to them "until my last breath" for their love and respect.
He called for a collective effort to rise above "the politics of lanes and ribbon-cutting" and to bring Punjab, which he described as "trapped by drugs, extortion, gangsterism and corruption", back to being a progressive state.
"Working together with you to formulate a forward strategy, I will aim to ensure clean politics and transparent administration," Singh said, adding, "My sole purpose is 'Punjab First. Apart from this, I will have no personal interests."
This comes amid preparation for the 2027 Assembly Elections as AAP on Saturday announced its first list of 40 candidates, naming Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann from Dhuri, Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan from Kotkapura and Minister Sanjeev Arora, who is currently in jail, from Ludhiana West. (AAP)