Raghav Chadha, a Rajya Sabha MP elected from Punjab, announced his resignation from the Aam Aadmi Party and his intent to join the Bharatiya Janata Party during a press conference in Delhi on April 24, 2026.
He was not alone. Chadha stated that seven other AAP Rajya Sabha MPs are also set to cross over, a claim echoed across Telugu-language news outlets including Samayam, Eenadu, and Andhrajyothy. This mass defection represents approximately two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha contingent, according to Chadha’s own assessment.
The move follows Chadha’s recent removal as the party’s deputy floor leader in Parliament, a detail confirmed by all three sources. In his resignation letter to the Rajya Sabha chairman, Chadha also urged the formal merger of AAP’s parliamentary wing into the BJP.
Chadha framed his departure as a break from what he described as the party’s shift away from its founding ideals. “For 15 years, my blood, my sweat went into building AAP,” he said, according to Eenadu. “But it was formed with a purpose that has now diverged. For years, the party has worked not for the country, but for personal gain. I no longer feel that I belong in a true party.”
He added that he is distancing himself from AAP to be closer to the people, a sentiment repeated in his remarks across sources. “I do not wish to be part of their inner circle. Since I am not, I have not received their affection. We saw two paths ahead. But distancing from politics is necessary — otherwise, we must use our experience to build wholesome politics.”
Arvind Kejriwal, AAP’s national convenor and former Delhi chief minister, reacted sharply to the development. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he accused the BJP of orchestrating the defections and labeled them a betrayal of Punjab’s electorate. “This is the same game the BJP played before — cheating the people of Punjab again,” Kejriwal wrote, according to Samayam. He also claimed the BJP is spreading rumors that Chadha will be offered a central ministerial position to lure other AAP MPs.
The timing is notable. Despite recent setbacks, AAP has shown signs of recovery following its defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections earlier this year, with internal reports suggesting renewed grassroots mobilization. Chadha’s defection, however, threatens to undermine that momentum.
Among those named by Chadha as joining the BJP are senior AAP leaders Harbhajan Singh and Swati Maliwal, alongside Ashok Mittal, Vikram Singh Sahni, Sandeep Pathak, and Rajinder Gupta. The group appeared together at the press conference where Chadha made his announcement.
Andhrajyothy described the development as a “major shock” to AAP, emphasizing the symbolic weight of losing a founding-member-turned-national-figure who had invested over a decade in the party’s rise. Chadha insisted he remains committed to public service, stating he is now “moving away from the party to be nearer to the people.”
Why did Raghav Chadha leave the Aam Aadmi Party?
Chadha said he left because he believes the party has strayed from its original purpose, working for personal benefit rather than national service, and that he no longer feels he belongs in a “true party.”
He also cited his removal as deputy floor leader and stated he wishes to distance himself from the party’s inner circle to be closer to the public.
How many AAP Rajya Sabha MPs are joining the BJP with Chadha?
Chadha stated that seven other AAP Rajya Sabha MPs are joining him in defecting to the BJP, which he said amounts to roughly two-thirds of the party’s Rajya Sabha contingent.
What was Arvind Kejriwal’s reaction to the defections?
Kejriwal accused the BJP of repeating its alleged betrayal of Punjab voters by engineering the defections and claimed the party is spreading rumors about offering ministerial posts to lure more AAP members.
Who are some of the prominent AAP leaders named by Chadha as joining the BJP?
Chadha specifically named Harbhajan Singh, Swati Maliwal, Ashok Mittal, Vikram Singh Sahni, Sandeep Pathak, and Rajinder Gupta as AAP leaders who are joining the BJP alongside him.
