Raghav Chadha, along with six other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members in the Rajya Sabha, has announced their decision to leave the party and align with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Chadha stated that they represent more than two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha members and have invoked constitutional provisions to merge with the BJP.
During the press event, Chadha was joined by Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal. He explained that a signed letter from the group, including Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney, and Swati Maliwal, was submitted to the Rajya Sabha Chairman. Chadha suggested additional AAP figures might soon follow suit.
Chadha had recently been ousted from his role as AAP’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, with the party claiming he failed to address key concerns. Ashok Mittal, who replaced him, has also now resigned from AAP.
In his remarks, Chadha expressed disappointment, saying the party he helped build over 15 years has strayed from its foundational principles and now prioritizes self-interest over national welfare. He described himself as mismatched with the current AAP direction and affirmed his shift toward public service.
In response, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal posted on social media, accusing the BJP of betraying Punjab’s people. AAP MP Sanjay Singh, in a separate briefing, labeled the defectors as betrayers who have harmed Punjab’s interests. He warned that neither the defectors nor BJP leaders would be forgiven by the public.
Following his removal, Chadha had previously declared he was muted but not beaten, sharing a video of his parliamentary contributions. AAP officials rejected allegations that he was barred from speaking in the chamber.
Chadha, once a trusted ally of Kejriwal and one of India’s youngest parliamentarians, played significant roles in AAP’s operations in Punjab and Delhi. His recent absence from key party events, including during Kejriwal’s 2024 arrest in a liquor policy matter and subsequent developments, preceded this move.
