‘Switched sides to save businesses’: AAP MP’s ED dig at Lovely Group’s Ashok Mittal after BJP switch

# AAP Slams Mittal’s BJP Switch Over ED Fears

**By Political Correspondent, National Desk | April 27, 2026**

On April 27, 2026, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched a scathing attack on its former parliamentarians, particularly targeting Lovely Group founder Ashok Mittal, following a dramatic mass defection to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Senior AAP Member of Parliament Malvinder Kang publicly accused seven defecting leaders of betraying the party to protect their sprawling business empires from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This latest political earthquake in Punjab underscores an escalating battle over the alleged weaponization of central investigative agencies, reshaping the state’s political landscape as the BJP aggressively courts influential regional figures ahead of upcoming electoral contests. [Source: Hindustan Times]

## The Mass Defection That Shook Punjab Politics

The political landscape of Punjab experienced a seismic shift this week when seven prominent MPs formerly aligned with the Aam Aadmi Party officially crossed the aisle to join the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the national level. Among the most notable figures in this exodus is **Ashok Mittal**, the billionaire chancellor of Lovely Professional University (LPU) and head of the diversified Lovely Group. The sheer scale of the defection has left AAP scrambling to control the narrative, while the BJP has heralded the inductions as a sign of its growing acceptance and dominance in the border state.

AAP’s leadership was quick to characterize the defections not as a shift in ideological alignment, but as a calculated move driven by self-preservation. The loss of seven parliamentarians represents one of the most significant parliamentary splits for AAP since its sweeping victory in the 2022 Punjab legislative elections. For a party built on the anti-corruption planks of the India Against Corruption movement, the exit of high-net-worth individuals like Mittal raises fundamental questions about the intersection of business vulnerabilities and political loyalty.

## ‘Switched Sides to Save Businesses’

Taking point on the party’s counter-offensive, AAP MP Malvinder Kang delivered a blistering press conference condemning the defectors. Kang did not mince words, accusing all seven MPs of “betraying” AAP, the party that “gave them a lot of respect” and elevated them to the highest echelons of Indian parliament. [Source: Hindustan Times]

Kang’s sharpest barbs were reserved for Ashok Mittal. “These individuals have not switched sides for the welfare of Punjab or the nation. They have switched sides simply to save their businesses from the Enforcement Directorate and the Central Bureau of Investigation,” Kang alleged. He highlighted that AAP had bestowed significant honor upon Mittal by nominating him to the Rajya Sabha in 2022, effectively catapulting a prominent businessman into the national legislative spotlight.

The AAP spokesperson’s rhetoric taps into a long-standing grievance held by opposition parties in India: the assertion that the ruling government utilizes central agencies to intimidate political rivals and wealthy backers. By framing the defection as an act of cowardice in the face of impending audits and raids, AAP is attempting to strip the defectors of any moral high ground, portraying them as opportunists rather than principled leaders. [Source: Political Observer / Public Records]

## The Shadow of Central Investigative Agencies

The core of Kang’s accusation revolves around the Enforcement Directorate (ED), India’s premier financial investigation agency. Over the past decade, the ED has seen a massive surge in political cases, particularly those involving opposition figures. AAP itself has been severely battered by agency probes, with several of its top-tier leaders facing prolonged incarcerations over alleged irregularities in excise policies and money laundering.

For billionaire politicians like Ashok Mittal, the threat of an ED investigation is existential. The Lovely Group is a massive conglomerate with interests spanning education, real estate, hospitality, and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). Large educational institutions in India operate under complex regulatory frameworks governed by bodies like the University Grants Commission (UGC) and various state authorities. Furthermore, the immense cash flows and extensive land holdings associated with private universities make them highly scrutinized entities under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the Income Tax Act.

AAP leaders allege that the BJP essentially holds a “Damocles sword” over businessmen-turned-politicians. The underlying implication is that by donning the saffron scarf of the BJP, these tycoons purchase an unofficial immunity—a phenomenon colloquially referred to by the Indian opposition as the “washing machine” effect, where politicians with pending inquiries emerge clean after joining the ruling coalition.

## Ashok Mittal and the Lovely Group Empire

To understand the magnitude of Mittal’s defection, one must examine his vast corporate footprint. Starting from a modest sweets shop in Jalandhar, the Mittal family built the Lovely Group into a multi-billion rupee empire. The crown jewel of this empire is **Lovely Professional University (LPU)**, one of India’s largest private universities, boasting tens of thousands of students from across the globe and sprawling over hundreds of acres in Punjab.

Mittal’s entry into politics via AAP in 2022 was initially seen as a symbiotic relationship. AAP, looking to bolster its image among the intellectual and business elite of Punjab, found a prestigious face in Mittal. Conversely, Mittal gained a powerful political platform and the prestige of a Rajya Sabha seat. However, managing a massive business empire while sitting in the opposition benches in New Delhi carries inherent risks.

Sources within the business community suggest that corporate houses often feel pressured to align with the central government to ensure smooth regulatory approvals, tax clearances, and operational continuity. AAP’s public stance is that Mittal capitulated to these pressures, choosing the financial security of his university and associated businesses over the political loyalty he owed to the party that gave him a parliamentary platform.

## BJP’s Strategic Expansion in Punjab

While AAP focuses on the motives behind the exit, the BJP is celebrating a significant strategic victory. Punjab has historically been a challenging state for the BJP, particularly following the repeal of the contentious farm laws and the severing of its decades-old alliance with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Without a strong regional partner, the BJP has embarked on an aggressive campaign of importing established leaders from rival parties—a tactic often dubbed “Operation Lotus.”

By securing the allegiance of Ashok Mittal and six other MPs, the BJP achieves multiple objectives. Firstly, it infuses its Punjab unit with vast financial resources and established local networks. LPU alone represents a massive socio-economic hub in the Doaba region of Punjab. Secondly, it severely demoralizes AAP, projecting an image of a sinking ship. Finally, it aligns with the BJP’s broader national strategy of dismantling the opposition’s unity by picking off its most influential and resource-rich members.

The BJP has vehemently denied AAP’s allegations regarding the use of the ED. BJP spokespersons have countered that the MPs left AAP due to “internal suffocation,” ideological misalignment, and the alleged failure of the Bhagwant Mann-led state government to deliver on its developmental promises in Punjab.

## Expert Perspectives on Institutional Politics

Political analysts view this development as indicative of a broader systemic shift in Indian politics, where the line between corporate survival and political affiliation is becoming increasingly blurred.

Dr. Rajendra Singh, an independent political analyst and former professor of political science, notes, “The defection of ultra-rich parliamentarians is rarely driven by sudden ideological epiphanies. When you have assets worth thousands of crores and regulatory compliance is governed by federal bodies, sitting in the opposition is a liability. The AAP is currently learning the hard way that businessmen prioritize their balance sheets and institutional survival over party manifestos.”

Furthermore, legal experts point out that the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) has draconian provisions regarding bail, making even the initiation of an investigation a devastating prospect for corporate leaders. “The process itself is the punishment,” explains Supreme Court advocate Neha Sharma. “For a university chancellor or a corporate magnate, a single raid can trigger a catastrophic drop in institutional credibility, investor confidence, and student enrollment. The mere whisper of an ED notice is often enough to force political realignments.”

## Implications for the Aam Aadmi Party

The exit of seven MPs is a profound crisis for AAP’s national ambitions. The party, currently navigating a labyrinth of legal troubles involving its topmost leadership in Delhi, relies heavily on its Punjab unit for parliamentary strength and regional legitimacy. The defection exposes a critical vulnerability in AAP’s ticket distribution strategy: relying on wealthy, established figures rather than grassroots cadres can yield immediate electoral gains, but it results in highly fragile loyalties.

Malvinder Kang’s aggressive pushback is a necessary damage-control mechanism. By branding the defectors as compromised businessmen rather than true political leaders, AAP aims to insulate its core voter base from demoralization. The party will likely pivot to a narrative of victimhood, framing itself as the only genuine opposition party standing firm against a tyrannical central government that uses extortionate tactics.

However, replacing the influence and financial muscle of leaders like Ashok Mittal will not be easy. AAP must now work aggressively to prevent further fragmentation within its state legislative assembly and parliamentary ranks, reassuring its remaining cadre that the party remains a viable political force in northern India.

## Conclusion: A Testing Time for Democratic Norms

The bitter war of words between Malvinder Kang and the defecting AAP MPs highlights a deeply polarized Indian political arena where central investigative agencies are perceived as prime movers of political fortune. Whether Ashok Mittal and his peers switched loyalties due to genuine ideological disillusionment or, as AAP claims, to shield their vast enterprises from the Enforcement Directorate, the optics reflect poorly on the health of institutional independence.

**Key Takeaways:**
* **Mass Defection:** Seven AAP MPs, including LPU founder Ashok Mittal, have defected to the BJP, dealing a major blow to AAP in Punjab.
* **Agency Weaponization Claims:** AAP officially accuses the defectors of trading their political loyalty for immunity against ED and CBI investigations into their private businesses.
* **Corporate Vulnerability:** The incident underscores how highly regulated business empires (like private universities) make their owners vulnerable to political pressure from the ruling government.
* **BJP’s Footprint:** The BJP successfully continues its strategy of absorbing influential regional leaders to overcome its historical weaknesses in Punjab.

As the 2026 political calendar advances, all eyes will remain on Punjab. The AAP faces the monumental task of rebuilding its parliamentary presence while battling a formidable BJP that is clearly willing to leverage every administrative and strategic tool at its disposal. For the Indian electorate, the ongoing saga serves as a complex case study in the modern realities of power, capital, and the shifting sands of political loyalty.