Three of seven AAP MPs join BJP. Where are the others Raghav Chadha named?

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like AAP’s political crisis got messier on Friday. Seven of its Rajya Sabha MPs, led by Raghav Chadha, announced they were leaving the party. Chadha said all seven had merged with the BJP — but only a handful have clearly confirmed the move. The rest? Still not so clear. BJP national president Nitin Nabin, second right, meets Rajya Sabha members Raghav Chadha, right, Sandeep Pathak, left, and Ashok Mittal at the party's headquarters, in New Delhi on Friday. (PTI)Dropping the big bomb, Chadha said the group had taken a collective decision. “We have decided that we, 2/3rd of members belonging to the AAP in Rajya Sabha, exercise the provisions of the Constitution of India and merge with the BJP,” he said at a press conference, seated alongside Sandeep Pathak. He added that all seven MPs had signed a letter and submitted it to the Rajya Sabha chairman CP Radhakrishnan. Of those named, three are clearly on record – Raghav Chadha, Pathak and Ashok Mittal, who had replaced Chadha as AAP’s Rajya Sabha deputy leader just days ago. The trio later met BJP president Nitin Nabin and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Among the remaining four, only Vikram Sahni has openly confirmed his move. “I believe that as part of the BJP, I will be able to serve Punjab and its people with greater dedication and effectiveness with the support of the Centre,” Sahney said in a post on X. He also spoke about Punjab’s situation, calling it “an emotion, a legacy, and a shared responsibility,” and stressed the need to work with the Centre for stability and growth. Swati Maliwal, too, confirmed that she is leaving the AAP, but did not say whether she is joining the BJP. Her focus was on attacking the party leadership, especially Arvind Kejriwal. “With great sorrow today, I must say that the principles, values, and resolve for honest politics with which we began this journey have been abandoned by Arvind Kejriwal and, at his behest, the entire AAP,” she said. She also repeated allegations of assault and said: “Threats were made to ruin me, and every possible effort was made against me.” For now, her next political move remains unclear. Harbhajan Singh and Rajendra Gupta – also named by Chadha – have not publicly confirmed anything yet. AAP currently has 10 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. If seven leave together, it crosses the two-thirds mark needed under the anti-defection law to avoid disqualification. That’s the key legal point Chadha is relying on. If accepted, AAP will be left with just three MPs in the Upper House — a huge drop. AAP leaders are calling this a betrayal. Soon after Chadha's presser, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann didn’t hold back: “Let me be clear—none of them is capable of becoming even a village sarpanch on their own merit,” he said. Meanwhile, AAP leader Sanjay Singh said he will ask for the disqualification of some MPs, arguing they have voluntarily left the party. He also accused the BJP of engineering the switch. The controversy comes at a crucial moment for AAP, which is now in power only in Punjab after losing Delhi last year and is gearing up for the 2027 Assembly elections. A reduced presence in the Rajya Sabha could also weaken the party’s role in the national Opposition, while bringing the ruling alliance closer to a two-thirds majority in the Upper House. Priyanshu Priya is a journalist with nearly three years of newsroom experience, driven by a deep belief that stories, when told right, can shape conversations and hold power to account. Currently working as a Senior Content Producer with Hindustan Times, she writes on a wide spectrum of issues, from Indian politics and Delhi’s public concerns to global trade tensions and high-stakes crime stories. Priya joined HT at a pivotal moment, as Operation Sindoor was unfolding, and has since covered some of the most defining developments in recent times. Her reporting spans the Air India plane crash and the Pahalgam terror attack to India–US trade tensions, unrest in the Middle East, and key Assembly elections across states. She thrives in the fast-paced world of breaking news. In 2025–26, she was recognised with the Hindustan Times Digi Journo of the Q3 Award for driving over 4 million page views in a single month. A postgraduate in English Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) and a Mass Communication graduate from Patna Women’s College, Priya began her news career with the Zee News English team, where she extensively covered the Lok Sabha Election 2024, along with the Delhi and Maharashtra Assembly elections. When she’s not tracking or writing the next big development, she unwinds by watching series and films, reading books with strong female protagonists, and revisiting comfort shows for the familiar ease they bring when life feels a little too jittery.Read More