Raghav Chadha, a senior AAP Rajya Sabha MP, along with six other party lawmakers, made a surprising announcement of leaving AAP to join the BJP. This move involves a breakaway faction of two-thirds of AAP Rajya Sabha MPs merging with the BJP soon. The decision was revealed by Chadha during a press conference, where Sandeep Pathak, another party Rajya Sabha MP, was also present.
The group of MPs joining the BJP includes Swati Maliwal, Harbhajan Singh, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikram Sahni, as per Chadha’s statement. This shift is a significant setback for AAP and its leader Arvind Kejriwal. Raghav Chadha emphasized that the majority of AAP Rajya Sabha MPs are switching allegiances, a move aimed at avoiding repercussions under the anti-defection law.
The development follows Raghav Chadha’s recent demotion in the House from the Deputy Leader post within the party, allegedly due to not addressing crucial government issues. Notably, Ashok Mittal, who succeeded Chadha as the new Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, has also joined the merger with the BJP. Currently, AAP holds 10 seats in the Upper House, predominantly from Punjab, the only state where it holds power.
