Former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar. File | Photo Credit: ANI The defection of seven Rajya Sabha members from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a morale booster for the BJP in Punjab, former Union Minister Ashwani Kumar said on Friday (April 24, 2026). Mr. Kumar, a former Congress leader, said in a statement that the development will enhance the BJP’s negotiating ability with the Akali Dal for a possible pre-election alliance in Punjab and improve its public perception. It could also be a contributing factor to a fractured mandate in the Assembly election in the State, which is 10 months away, he added. Published – April 24, 2026 09:20 pm IST Share this: Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon Click to share on Nextdoor (Opens in new window) Nextdoor Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky Like this:Like Loading... Post navigation 57,767 more women have cast their votes than men in Virudhunagar district GHMC provides QR codes seeking feedback about civic services