 |
| Raghav Chadha Quits AAP, Joins BJP |
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party, citing a loss of principles, and formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party along with six other AAP MPs — Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney, and Swati Maliwal. This mass defection marks a major setback for AAP and strengthens BJP’s presence in the Rajya Sabha.
On April 15, 2026, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided properties linked to AAP Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal in connection with alleged money laundering. Exactly 10 days later, on April 25, 2026, Mittal announced his resignation from the Aam Aadmi Party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Mittal was joined by six other AAP MPs — Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney, and Swati Maliwal — who also defected to BJP, forming a constitutional merger in the Rajya Sabha.
Reacting to the mass exit, AAP leader Sanjay Singh accused the government of misusing central agencies like the ED and CBI to coerce opposition leaders. He said the BJP is “weaponizing agencies to break parties and silence dissent,” framing the defections as part of “Operation Lotus” and a blow to democracy.
