In a significant political development, Raghav Chadha and six other Rajya Sabha members from the Aam Aadmi Party resigned from the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on April 24, 2026.
Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Chadha stated that more than two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha members had decided to merge with the BJP, invoking provisions under the Constitution that allow such a move without disqualification under the anti-defection law. He said that the required documents had been submitted to the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
Chadha cited ideological differences as the primary reason for his exit, stating that the party had “deviated from its principles, values and core morals.” He added that his decision followed years of internal disagreement, describing himself as being “in the wrong party.”
Along with Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal also confirmed their resignation from AAP. Other members associated with the move include Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney, and Swati Maliwal.
The shift has reduced AAP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha from 10 members to three. The party currently also has three members in the Lok Sabha.
Reacting to the development, AAP leaders criticised the move. Sanjay Singh said that the people of Punjab would remember the names of the MPs who left the party, alleging that the BJP had been obstructing the work of the state government led by Bhagwant Mann.
Earlier this month, the party had replaced Chadha with Ashok Mittal as its deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. AAP had accused Chadha of not participating in certain opposition activities, including signing a notice related to the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner. Chadha had responded by questioning whether raising public issues was being treated as a fault.
Under India’s anti-defection law, legislators can avoid disqualification if at least two-thirds of members agree to merge with another party. Chadha maintained that this threshold had been met in the current case.
The BJP welcomed the development, with party spokespersons stating that it reflected internal issues within AAP. Statements from BJP leaders described AAP as being in disarray, while criticising its governance record.
The political shift comes at a time of heightened electoral activity and may have implications for party dynamics in Parliament, particularly in the Rajya Sabha where numbers play a key role in legislative proceedings.