NEW DELHI — In a stunning political realignment, seven Rajya Sabha members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by senior leader Raghav Chadha, resigned from the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday. The mass defection occurred just hours after AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal vacated the residence of one of the defecting MPs to move into his new government-allotted bungalow.
The exodus includes Ashok Mittal, who had hosted Kejriwal and his family at his Ferozeshah Road residence for over a year following Kejriwal’s resignation as Delhi Chief Minister in 2024.
The “Two-Thirds” Merger
The defecting group effectively guts AAP’s presence in the Upper House. By moving as a collective of seven members—representing more than two-thirds of AAP’s ten-member Rajya Sabha contingent—the MPs have invoked constitutional provisions to merge with the BJP, thereby bypassing the Anti-Defection Law.
The defecting MPs are:
-
Raghav Chadha (Former Deputy Leader in RS)
-
Ashok Mittal (Recently appointed Deputy Leader)
-
Sandeep Pathak (National General Secretary, Organisation)
-
Swati Maliwal (Former DCW Chief)
-
Harbhajan Singh (Former Cricketer)
-
Vikram Sahney & Rajinder Gupta
Fractured Loyalty and Internal Strife
Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters alongside BJP chief Nitin Nabin, Raghav Chadha claimed the party he nurtured for 15 years had “strayed from its principles and core morals.”
-
Leadership Tensions: The rift reportedly deepened on April 2, when Kejriwal removed Chadha as the deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, replacing him with Ashok Mittal.
-
The Maliwal Factor: Swati Maliwal’s departure follows a public fallout with the party leadership after she accused a Kejriwal aide of assault in May 2024.
-
Failed Unity Bid: Sources indicate Kejriwal attempted a last-minute reconciliation on Friday evening, promising future election tickets to the disgruntled MPs, but the group announced their departure before the meeting could take place.
Kejriwal’s New Address
The political blow coincided with a major personal transition for Arvind Kejriwal. On April 24, he officially moved out of Ashok Mittal’s home and into a Type-VII bungalow at 95, Lodhi Estate.
The accommodation was allotted by the Central Government following a Delhi High Court directive, recognizing his status as the head of a national party.
Impact on AAP’s Future
| Metric | Before Exodus | After Exodus |
| Rajya Sabha Seats | 10 | 3 |
| National Presence | High momentum | Strategic regrouping required |
| Key Leaders Left | Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha* | Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha (now BJP) |
The loss of Sandeep Pathak, the party’s chief organizational strategist, is viewed by analysts as a particularly severe blow to AAP’s expansion plans in Punjab, Gujarat, and Goa. As the party grapples with this internal rupture, the BJP has welcomed the new members as vital contributors to the “Viksit Bharat 2047” agenda.
