New Delhi: In one of the biggest political jolts in recent times, Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Friday announced that more than two-thirds of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs in the Upper House have broken away to merge with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), triggering a full-blown crisis within the party.
Numbers Game: 2/3rd MPs Back Split
At a high-voltage press conference, Chadha revealed that a decisive majority of AAP’s 10 Rajya Sabha MPs had endorsed the move and formally submitted documents to the Chairman.
“More than two-thirds are with us. The signed letters have been submitted this morning,” Chadha said, signalling a coordinated and legally-backed split under constitutional provisions.
Flanked by Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal, he named Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney and Swati Maliwal among those backing the switch—while hinting that more exits could follow.
#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
‘We Merge with BJP’: Formal Breakaway
Declaring the move as final, Chadha said the rebel bloc had chosen to merge with the BJP.
“We, the two-thirds members of AAP in the Rajya Sabha, have decided to merge ourselves with the BJP,” he stated, framing the shift as both political and procedural.
From Rift to Revolt
The dramatic exodus comes just days after Chadha was removed as AAP’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha—an episode widely seen as the tipping point of an internal power struggle. The party had accused him of not raising its preferred issues in Parliament.
In a sharp pushback, Chadha had publicly questioned whether raising citizens’ concerns had become a “crime,” even alleging that the party sought to restrict his speaking opportunities in the House.
Irony in Leadership Shake-up
In a twist that underscores the scale of the rebellion, Ashok Mittal—who replaced Chadha as deputy leader—has now joined the exodus himself. Meanwhile, Sanjay Singh continues as AAP’s leader in the House, with the party’s strength now under severe threat.
Issues, Tensions and the Breaking Point
Chadha had been actively raising public-interest issues such as:
- 28-day mobile recharge validity concerns
- Rights and wages of gig workers
- Broader urban economic and civic challenges
These interventions, he suggested, may have contributed to friction with the party leadership.
From Kejriwal’s Core Team to Exit Gate
At 37, Chadha was long seen as part of Arvind Kejriwal’s inner circle—rising from the India Against Corruption movement to become a national face of AAP, a former MLA, and a Rajya Sabha MP since 2022.
His exit, now coupled with a mass defection, marks a defining rupture in AAP’s political journey.
Big Blow for AAP, Big Boost for BJP
With AAP holding 10 seats in the 245-member Rajya Sabha, the defection of over two-thirds of its MPs could dramatically weaken its parliamentary clout and raise serious questions about internal cohesion.
For the BJP, the development is both symbolic and strategic—tightening its grip while capitalising on fractures within a key opposition party.
As the dust settles, the spotlight shifts to AAP’s next move—and whether this political earthquake triggers an even larger realignment in the days ahead.
