New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been hit by a major political shock as senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha announced a sudden decision to quit the party and join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Addressing a press conference in Delhi, Chadha confirmed that he, along with MPs Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal, would be switching sides.
Raghav Chadha said that a significant section of AAP’s Rajya Sabha representation has collectively decided to merge with the BJP under constitutional provisions. He alleged that the party, which he helped build over the last 15 years, had drifted away from its core ideology and was now prioritising personal interests over public welfare. He also stated that he felt he had been part of a “wrong political platform” for a long time.
#WATCH | Delhi: Addressing a press conference with Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal, AAP MP Raghav Chadha says, "We have decided that we, the 2/3rd members belonging to the AAP in Rajya Sabha, exercise the provisions of the Constitution of India and merge ourselves with the BJP." pic.twitter.com/K3IK4TPXml
— ANI (@ANI) April 24, 2026
He further revealed that nearly two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha MPs are part of the decision to join the BJP. According to him, along with the three MPs who have already resigned, others including Swati Maliwal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikram Sahni are also expected to make the switch, taking the total number of defecting MPs close to seven out of ten.
The development is significant as the anti-defection law allows a merger if at least two-thirds of a legislative party agrees to it, thereby preventing disqualification of members. With the reported numbers, the group’s shift is expected to be legally valid, allowing them to retain their parliamentary positions after joining the BJP.
If the move materialises as announced, AAP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha will be drastically reduced, leaving only a small number of MPs in the party. The development has triggered a political storm and is expected to have wider implications for the party’s national presence and parliamentary influence.