New Delhi, April 24, 2026 – A significant rupture has occurred within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as seven of its ten Rajya Sabha Members of Parliament have announced their departure from the party. This exodus, led by prominent MP Raghav Chadha, sees these parliamentarians moving to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a distinct bloc. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal has decried the move, accusing the BJP of having "once again betrayed the people of Punjab."
Seven out of the ten AAP Rajya Sabha MPs have quit the party and are reportedly set to join the BJP, forming a separate faction. This substantial loss of numbers is described as a move that could "substantially weaken the party's strength in the Upper House." Sources indicate that Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, and Sandeep Pathak were among the first to announce their shift, with others including Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney, and Swati Maliwal also having resigned from AAP.
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Kejriwal's Accusation and Party Response
Arvind Kejriwal, in a series of posts on X, directly accused the BJP of orchestrating this defection. His statements repeatedly used the phrase, "The BJP has once again betrayed Punjabis" and "BJP ne phir se Punjabio ke sath kia dhakka" (The BJP has once again given Punjabis a shove). This framing attempts to cast the BJP's actions as a direct affront to the state's populace, with the departing MPs seen as instruments of this alleged betrayal.
Meanwhile, the AAP has labeled the departing MPs as having "deceived the party" and questioned their loyalty. A party spokesperson noted, "The party gave him [Chadha] everything, he still landed in BJP's lap." The internal rift is underscored by reports of Raghav Chadha having recently been removed as the AAP's Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, a move that reportedly triggered internal friction.
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Parliamentary Implications and Legal Loopholes
The defection of seven MPs, representing over two-thirds of AAP's Rajya Sabha contingent, is significant as it may allow them to circumvent anti-defection laws, thus retaining their seats. The remaining AAP Rajya Sabha MPs are Balbir Singh Seechewal, Sanjay Singh, and N.D. Gupta. The shift in numbers will alter the political calculus within the Rajya Sabha, with the BJP's strength seeing a corresponding increase.
Background: A Party Divided
The departure of Raghav Chadha, once considered a close aide to Arvind Kejriwal, signifies a major internal rupture for the Aam Aadmi Party. Chadha himself has claimed that the AAP has "deviated from its core principles" and has "drifted from its founding ideals," offering a critique of the party leadership. This event marks one of the most substantial internal schisms since the party's inception, raising questions about its future direction and internal cohesion. Reports from earlier in April 2026 noted investigations involving AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal concerning FEMA probes.
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