, led by Raghav Chadha, have broken ranks){kind=link}
New Delhi: In a dramatic political development, seven Rajya Sabha MPs from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Raghav Chadha, have broken ranks and merged their faction with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The move has dealt a significant setback to AAP’s strength in Parliament and has triggered concerns about the party’s internal stability, particularly ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections.
Of the seven MPs who joined the shift, six belong to Punjab and one to Delhi, reflecting the scale of the political realignment. Sources familiar with the developments say the exit was not sudden but the result of weeks of growing friction within the party.
The Trigger: Removal of Raghav Chadha Sparked the Chain Reaction
According to sources, the turning point came on April 5, when the AAP leadership removed Raghav Chadha from his role as Deputy Leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha.
The decision signalled a formal distancing between Chadha and party chief Arvind Kejriwal, though insiders suggest tensions had been building long before this move.
Following his removal, Chadha reportedly began reaching out to fellow AAP MPs, gauging their dissatisfaction and exploring the feasibility of a coordinated exit strategy.
Also Read : Raghav Chadha Joins BJP With Majority Of AAP Rajya Sabha MPs, Deals Major Blow To Kejriwal
Two-Thirds Rule: The Legal Shield Behind the Defection
AAP currently holds 10 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. By securing the support of seven members, Chadha’s faction crossed the crucial two-thirds threshold, which protects legislators from disqualification under India’s anti-defection laws.
This legal provision allowed the group to initiate a formal merger with another party without facing immediate disqualification.
Speaking at a press conference, Chadha confirmed the numbers and the procedural steps taken.
“More than two-thirds of the Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MPs are with us in this initiative. They have signed the documents, and this morning we submitted all the required paperwork to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha,” he said.
Who Are the Seven MPs Who Joined the Move
The group of MPs backing Chadha represents a mix of party loyalists, professionals, and public figures.
The defectors include:
- Raghav Chadha
- Sandeep Pathak
- Swati Maliwal
- Ashok Mittal
- Vikramjeet Sahni
- Rajendra Gupta
- Harbhajan Singh
Party insiders classify them into two broad groups:
Long-time political figures:
Chadha, Pathak, and Maliwal rose through organisational ranks and played key roles in the party’s growth.
Professionals and non-political entrants:
Mittal, Sahni, Gupta, and Harbhajan Singh brought business, professional, and public influence to the party rather than activist roots.
Discontent Within Ranks: Multiple Factors Behind the Exit
Sources suggest that dissatisfaction among the defectors had been building over several months.
Sandeep Pathak, once seen as a close strategist to Kejriwal, reportedly felt sidelined after the party’s defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections and believed his future within the party had become uncertain.
Meanwhile, Swati Maliwal had already taken a confrontational stance against the party leadership in recent months, placing herself outside the party’s central decision-making structure.
For business-linked MPs, the situation was influenced by legal and regulatory scrutiny. On April 15, the Enforcement Directorate conducted raids at premises linked to Ashok Mittal in Punjab under a FEMA-related investigation.
Similarly, Rajendra Gupta had previously faced scrutiny from the Income Tax Department. Although no direct link between these investigations and the political shift has been officially confirmed, the timing has drawn attention.
Timeline Reveals Months of Planning
Sources indicate that discussions about Chadha’s possible shift to the BJP date back several months.
An earlier plan reportedly aimed for a transition around Diwali, which was later revised to August, allowing time to campaign against the AAP-led Punjab government headed by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
However, Chadha’s removal from his Rajya Sabha leadership role in April accelerated the timeline significantly. Instead of waiting months, he moved quickly to consolidate support and execute the transition within weeks.
Attempts to Expand Support Fell Short
Chadha reportedly attempted to bring additional MPs into the fold.
He reached out to Balbir Singh Seechewal, a social activist and Rajya Sabha MP, but the latter declined to join the group.
Despite this, Chadha had already secured enough support to meet the two-thirds requirement needed for a merger.
The Public Announcement: Break Becomes Official
The political shift became public when Chadha, accompanied by Pathak and Mittal, addressed the media and formally announced their exit from AAP.
“AAP, which I nurtured with my blood and sweat and to which I gave 15 years of my youth, has strayed from its principles, values, and morals,” Chadha said during the announcement.
He further added that he increasingly felt he was “the right person in the wrong party.”
Sandeep Pathak echoed similar sentiments, stating that his departure was not planned earlier but had become unavoidable due to recent developments.
Why Some MPs Were Absent From the Announcement
Only three of the seven MPs appeared at the initial press conference.
According to sources:
- Swati Maliwal was travelling in the Northeast
- Harbhajan Singh was engaged in commitments related to the Indian Premier League
- Rajendra Gupta was abroad for medical treatment
- Vikramjeet Sahni remained in Delhi but cited health reasons
Despite their absence, Chadha confirmed that all seven MPs had formally endorsed the move and signed the required documents.
BJP Welcomes New Members Into the Party
The BJP officially welcomed the leaders, with party president Nitin Nabin meeting Chadha earlier in the day.
In a statement posted on social media, Nabin welcomed Chadha, Pathak, and Mittal at the party headquarters and extended greetings to the remaining MPs, expressing confidence that they would contribute to national development under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Chadha confirmed that the MPs had submitted formal letters to Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan.
The MPs are expected to formally join the BJP after the Chairman ratifies their merger documents.