The 54-year-old Chabbewal announced his decision to quit the Congress and join the AAP, receiving a warm welcome from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He is known as a prominent Dalit leader in the region.

Chabbewal's move to the AAP marks a setback for the Congress party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. He is the second Congress leader from Punjab to join the AAP within a week, following Gurpreet Singh GP, a former Congress MLA from Bassi Pathana.

In a statement on social media, the AAP's state unit expressed its delight in welcoming Chabbewal to the party, citing his admiration for the pro-people policies of Bhagwant Mann. The party hinted that Chabbewal might be considered as a candidate for the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha seat.

Before joining the AAP, Chabbewal formally resigned from the Indian National Congress and tendered his resignation as a member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly. While he did not specify the reasons for leaving the Congress, his decision underscores the changing political landscape in Punjab ahead of the upcoming elections.