Raghav Chadha Leads Split in AAP, Seven Rajya Sabha MPs Set to Join BJP

New Delhi, April 2026 : In a dramatic political development, Raghav Chadha on Friday announced his exit from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), along with six other Rajya Sabha members, signalling a major split within the party. The group is set to merge with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the coming days.

Addressing a press conference alongside fellow MP Sandeep Pathak, Chadha said that two-thirds of AAP’s representation in the Upper House—seven out of ten MPs—had decided to break away and align with the BJP. The move, he noted, would be carried out under constitutional provisions, enabling the faction to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law.

Among those joining Chadha in the switch are prominent figures such as Swati Maliwal, Harbhajan Singh, Ashok Mittal, Rajinder Gupta and Vikram Sahni. The development marks a significant setback for the party and its convenor, Arvind Kejriwal.

Chadha, one of the youngest members of Parliament, described the decision as a collective one taken by a “two-thirds faction” of the party’s Rajya Sabha MPs. With AAP currently holding 10 seats in the Upper House—seven from Punjab and three from Delhi—the defection substantially weakens its parliamentary strength.

The split comes just days after Chadha was removed from his position as Deputy Leader of AAP in the Rajya Sabha, reportedly over concerns that he was not raising key issues against the government strongly enough. Notably, Ashok Mittal, who had replaced Chadha in that role, has also joined the breakaway group, underscoring the depth of internal dissent.

The AAP’s Rajya Sabha representation has largely been drawn from Punjab, the only state where the party currently holds power. The seven MPs from Punjab include Chadha, Rajinder Gupta, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Vikram Sahni, Harbhajan Singh and Sant Balbir Singh, while Delhi’s representatives include Swati Maliwal, Narain Dass Gupta and Sanjay Singh.

Political observers view this development as a major blow to AAP’s national ambitions, especially at a time when the party has been trying to expand its footprint beyond its traditional strongholds. The coming days are expected to be crucial as the merger process unfolds and its wider political implications become clearer.