In a big blow to AAP, 2 MLAs quit party after 1st candidate list announcement

(R-L) Chetan Singh Jouramajra from Samana and Harmeet Singh PathanmajraCHANDIGARH: Two AAP MLAs, Chetan Singh Jouramajra from Samana and Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra from Sanour, both in Punjab's Patiala district have resigned from the party's primary membership on Sunday, a day after the Aam Aadmi Party released its first list of 40 candidates for the 2027 assembly elections.The party, however, has not yet announced its candidates for either constituency.According to news agency PTI, Pathanmajra sent his resignation letter to AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, Jouramajra, a former Punjab minister, announced his decision in a social media post.The resignations come as AAP begins preparations for the 2027 polls.In September, the party appointed former Punjab minister Surjit Singh Rakhra as its halqa (constituency) in-charge for Samana. Rakhra is being seen as a possible candidate from the seat, although the party has not officially declared him as its nominee.Pathanmajra, meanwhile, has previously questioned the functioning of the AAP government in Punjab.He has also been facing a rape case registered in September last year following a complaint by a woman from Zirakpur. She alleged that Pathanmajra had misrepresented himself as a divorcee, entered into a relationship with her and married her in 2021 despite already being married.The Punjab Police arrested Pathanmajra in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior in March this year, more than six months after he allegedly escaped police custody in connection with the case.In May, the Punjab and Haryana high court granted him regular bail in the case.(With inputs from PTI)