The remarkable political turn took place when AAP Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha stated his resignation from AAP and joining the BJP along with six other AAP members in a political shift utilizing the two-thirds clause of the anti-defection law to keep their seats.
This political turn, which is reported through various news sources, signifies a major setback for AAP in the Upper House.
Raghav Chadha Joins BJP
Raghav Chadha, together with fellow MPs Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal, stated that they had handed over merger papers to the Rajya Sabha chairman, where seven out of ten AAP members of the Rajya Sabha had exactly two-thirds of their members join them in the merger.
The seven members used the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, which protects groups of two-thirds of a party's legislature members from disqualification during a merger.
MPs Involved
The merging MPs include:
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Raghav Chadha (Punjab)
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Sandeep Pathak
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Ashok Mittal
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Harbhajan Singh
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Rajinder Gupta (also reported as Rajendra Gupta)
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Vikramjit Singh Sahney (also Vikram Sahney)
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Swati Maliwal
This leaves AAP with only three Rajya Sabha seats post-merger. Notably, Ashok Mittal had recently replaced Chadha as AAP's Rajya Sabha deputy leader amid internal tensions.
Background
This comes after months of disagreements, including AAP’s recent decision to strip Chadha of his post as deputy leader on charges that he had favored soft PR tactics over criticizing the government.
Chadha, who came into prominence through his joining of Rajya Sabha in 2022 as a prominent AAP member, commended BJP leaders led by PM Narendra Modi for their firm stance on security and economy.
The total number of seats held by AAP in the Rajya Sabha falls from 10 to 3 seats, reducing the party’s opposition capabilities in the house where BJP counts on NDA partners.
This new alignment strengthens the BJP ahead of crucial legislative debates, reflecting deepening divisions within AAP amidst difficulties faced in governing Delhi. As at April 24, 2026, AAP and Rajya Sabha Chairman had not made an official statement on the matter yet.
