There was no press conference and no shutterbugs with cameras clicking to capture the crossing over of political borders by a party leader. But the switching over of sides by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Jagtar Singh Jagga Hissowal to the Congress party grabbed attention like never before.
For the first time in the recallable past, a leader — that too belonging to the principal opposition party — chose to shift loyalties inside the House during the Assembly proceedings.
The Congress legislators were all elated and buoyant when AAP MLA from Raikot Jagtar Singh Jagga Hissowal came over to the Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi announcing to accept him as his Chief Minister — leaving his party colleagues equally stunned and disheartened seeing their another party member shifting loyalties towards the Congress.
The development came a day after AAP’s another MLA, Rupinder Kaur Ruby from Bathinda Rural reserved constituency, announced to switch sides to the ruling Congress. Ruby, who has resigned from AAP’s membership, still continues to be the member of Punjab Vidhan Sabha. She was seen occupying a seat among AAP MLAs.
With Jagga, a total of six legislators have given up AAP’s “broom” to hold Congress’ “hand”. The Congress sources have claimed that at least three more AAP MLAs are ready for the switch.
Notably, AAP had 20 MLAs in the 117 member House after the 2017 polls — emerging as the second-largest party after the ruling Congress. However, the number continued to fall over all these years.
Already, AAP’s Dakha MLA HS Phoolka, the former Leader of Opposition, had resigned in 2019 which was also accepted by the Speaker. Only recently, Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana KP Singh accepted Sukhpal Singh Khaira’s resignation and disqualified Master Baldev Singh Jaito, bringing AAP’s strength in the House down to 17.
Out of the remaining 17 members, AAP’s three MLAs — Pirmal Singh, Nazar Singh Mansahia, and Jagdev Singh Kamalu — have already shifted their loyalties towards the Congress, and have submitted their resignations also. Its another MLA and former journalist Kanwar Sandhu continues to be a rebel, and is under suspension.
With Ruby’s resignation and Jagga’s shift, the effective number of AAP MLAs has come down to 12. However, four of the rebels have not resigned as MLAs and continue to sit in the House on AAP benches.
At the time when the Charanjit Singh Channi was addressing the House for the first time after becoming the Chief Minister and thus the Leader of the Vidhan Sabha, Jagtar Singh Jagga Hissowal come over to him declaring that he “accepts a common man like Channi as his Chief Minister”.
Without naming anyone, Channi said that another Chief Minister had taken a jibe at his credentials as the common man’s Chief Minister and questioned the same. Retorting further, Channi said that if anyone from the opposition thinks that he (Channi) is the “aam aadmi”, they must say so in the open.
Reacting to this, Jagga stood up and categorically said that he considers Charanjit Singh Channi as the aam aadmi. He went up to Channi’s seat and the chief minister, along with Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu and other Congress MLAs, welcomed him.
Expressing displeasure over the turn of events in the House, AAP MLA Aman Arora accused the Speaker Rana KP Singh of promoting defection. “On a day you are bringing an anti-defection law, it is shocking you and the Congress is promoting defection,” said Arora adding that it is obvious to feel dejected when any of your colleagues left you.
