A total of seven of the ten Rajya Sabha MPs of the Aam Aadmi Party, such as Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Swati Maliwal and Harbhajan Singh, have joined the BJP, possibly killing Arvind Kejriwal’s party in the Upper House.

Key Numbers at a Glance:

• 7 out of 10 – AAP Rajya Sabha MPs to resign
• 2/3rd – Constitutional majority claimed to be needed for a merger
• 15 years – Chadha’s AAP stint
• April 24, 2026 – Joins BJP

What Happened

In a major political event, on April 24, 2026, Raghav Chadha, one of the high-profile leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), announced his and six other Rajya Sabha MPs’ exit from the Aam Aadmi Party to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Chadha, along with Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal, handed letters to the Rajya Sabha Chairman that morning.

Chadha cited the two-thirds merger provision under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, stating that 7 of the 10 Rajya Sabha MPs from AAP are joining, making the defection proper and they cannot be disqualified under the anti-defection act.

The 7 MPs Who Left AAP

• Raghav Chadha – AAP’s former Deputy Leader in RS
• Sandeep Pathak – Senior AAP leader
• Ashok Mittal – To replace Chadha as RS deputy leader
• Swati Maliwal – Rajya Sabha MP
• Harbhajan Singh – Cricket star turned politician
• Rajinder Gupta – Rajya Sabha MP
• Sahney Vikramjit Singh – Rajya Sabha MP

Why Chadha Left – Chadha Explains

“The Aam Aadmi Party which I nurtured with my blood and sweat and to whom I gave 15 years of my youth is now totally away from its principles, values and morals. I am in the right place and at the wrong party.” – Raghav Chadha, media appearance, April 24, 2026

The final straw for Chadha was AAP replacing him as its deputy leader in Rajya Sabha with Ashok Mittal on April 2, which, he alleged, was an attempt to muzzle him in the House. He claimed AAP was corrupt and had lost its core values of anti-corruption.

Timeline of the Rift

• March 2022 – AAP nominates Chadha to Rajya Sabha, Punjab
• April 2, 2026 – Chadha sacked as deputy leader of Rajya Sabha by AAP; Ashok Mittal appointed
• April 24, 2026 (morning) – Letters from the MPs signed and handed to Rajya Sabha Chairman
• April 24, 2026 (afternoon) – Chadha, Pathak and Mittal hold news conference on the split
• April 24, 2026 (evening) – Three MPs join BJP at party office in New Delhi
• April 25, 2026 – AAP’s Sanjay Singh seeks disqualification from Rajya Sabha Chairman

AAP’s Reaction – “Operation Lotus”

In response to this, AAP retaliated, alleging an “Operation Lotus” move by the BJP, referring to alleged political poaching through central investigation agencies such as the ED and CBI. AAP’s MP Sanjay Singh claimed the BJP used the government machinery to spread fear and destabilise the party, particularly targeting the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab.

Singh called for the disqualification of Chadha, Mittal and Pathak under the Tenth Schedule, claiming that byvoluntarily joining a different party, they are resigning from the party they originally represented. AAP said the defectors have sold out the faith of the people of Punjab.

Impact: AAP vs BJP in Rajya Sabha After the Defection

AAP After Defection:

3 MPs in Rajya Sabha. Much-reduced Upper House representation. Political pressures on Punjab government.

BJP — After Merger:

Gains 7 ex-AAP MPs. Gains power in Rajya Sabha. Gains bargaining power in any future laws on Punjab.

Anti-Defection Law – Will They Be Disqualified?

The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution allows MPs to be disqualified for voluntarily resigning from the party. But there is an important caveat: where two-thirds of the legislative party joins another party, it is deemed a “merger” and not disqualified. If, as Chadha claims, 7 out of AAP’s 10 Rajya Sabha MPs have joined – surpassing the two-thirds threshold – they may not be disqualified. The Rajya Sabha Chairman will have the final say.

FAQs – Most Searched

Q: What was the reason for Raghav Chadha quitting AAP and joining BJP?

Raghav Chadha’s reasons for leaving AAP were that the party had lost its anti-corruption roots, his political marginalisation (as he was removed from his post as deputy leader of Rajya Sabha), and claiming that the party is not acting in national interest.

Q: Will Raghav Chadha be disqualified from Rajya Sabha?

Not necessarily. The merger of two-thirds clause in the Tenth Schedule may save the defectors from disqualification, but it is first for the Rajya Sabha Chairman to consider the AAP’s petition.

Q: Who are the 7 AAP MPs who joined BJP?

Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Swati Maliwal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikramjit Singh Sahney.

Q: What is “Operation Lotus” that AAP is referring to?

AAP calls it “Operation Lotus” to claim that BJP uses central agencies to lure opposition MPs and MLAs to destabilise state governments – something the BJP rejects.

Q: Has Swati Maliwal joined the BJP?

Chadha said Maliwal is one of the seven, but couldn’t show her at the presser. Her joining the BJP is yet to be officially confirmed.