New Delhi, April 25: In a major political earthquake, Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha and six other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) lawmakers formally announced their resignation from the party and merger with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday, April 25. BJP President Nitin Nabin swiftly reacted, stating the mass exodus reflects an unmistakable surge in public confidence in Prime Minister Narendra Modi across India.

BJP Leaders React: 'Trust in Modi Growing Nationwide'

Nitin Nabin, speaking exclusively to IANS from Baranagar, said the defection is a direct consequence of deep-rooted discontent within the AAP over corruption allegations against its top leadership. "When Arvind Kejriwal is being widely associated with corruption, it creates significant dissatisfaction within the AAP. As a result, some MPs have chosen to leave. This indicates that across the country, people's trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi is increasing," he stated.

Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar took a sharper tone, accusing the AAP of betraying its founding principles. He recalled his early association with the party around 2009–2010, noting that it was built on promises of integrity and political reform. "It is now competing with the Congress Party in corruption and positioning itself as a 'B team' of Congress," he said pointedly.

Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari also weighed in, describing the development as a mirror of the shifting political landscape. "Whether public representatives or ordinary citizens, everyone is watching these developments closely," she remarked.

Who Left AAP and Who Are the Defectors

The seven lawmakers who announced their departure from AAP and alignment with the BJP include some of the party's most prominent Rajya Sabha faces. Alongside Raghav Chadha — one of India's youngest parliamentarians — the group comprises Swati Maliwal, Harbhajan Singh, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikram Sahni.

At a press conference held alongside MP Sandeep Pathak, Chadha confirmed that a two-thirds faction of AAP's Rajya Sabha parliamentary party has decided to formally merge with the BJP. He stated the group plans to invoke relevant provisions of the Constitution to execute the merger in the coming days.

Anti-Defection Law: Can They Avoid Disqualification

The legal dimension of this merger is critical. Under the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution — commonly known as the anti-defection law — individual legislators who voluntarily give up party membership face disqualification. However, a merger is permitted if at least two-thirds of the legislative party joins another party.

Since the defecting group claims to represent two-thirds of AAP's Rajya Sabha MPs, they may legally qualify for a merger exemption, shielding them from disqualification proceedings. Constitutional experts, however, note that the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha will be the final arbiter on whether the merger satisfies the legal threshold.

Background: Why Chadha and Others Fell Out With AAP

The break has been building for months. Raghav Chadha was reportedly stripped of his position as Deputy Leader of AAP in the Rajya Sabha for allegedly failing to actively raise issues against the Union government — a charge that insiders say reflects a broader internal power struggle within the party.

Swati Maliwal had already been publicly at odds with the AAP leadership following a widely reported altercation at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence in 2024, which triggered a national controversy. Her move to the BJP had been anticipated for several months by political observers.

Notably, AAP has been under sustained political and legal pressure since Arvind Kejriwal's arrest in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case in March 2024. The party's electoral performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections was also a significant blow, with AAP winning only 3 seats out of 13 it contested — a dramatic fall from its earlier dominance.

Political Impact: What This Means for AAP and Indian Politics

The loss of seven Rajya Sabha MPs is not merely a numerical setback for AAP — it is a symbolic collapse of the party's national ambitions. Founded in 2012 on an anti-corruption platform, the AAP had expanded aggressively into states like Punjab, Gujarat, and Goa. The current implosion signals a party struggling to hold its core identity together.

For the BJP, absorbing these lawmakers strengthens its position in the Rajya Sabha ahead of potential legislative battles. It also delivers a powerful optics victory — the party that AAP was founded to oppose is now absorbing its senior leadership.

Political analysts argue this development could accelerate a realignment within the INDIA bloc, of which AAP is a member, as partner parties may now question the alliance's coherence. With Delhi Assembly elections having already dealt a blow to AAP earlier in 2025, the party faces an existential question about its future trajectory and whether Arvind Kejriwal can rebuild its credibility.

As the formal merger process unfolds in the Rajya Sabha over the coming days, all eyes will be on the Chairman's ruling on the anti-defection petition — a decision that could set a precedent for future political realignments in India's upper house.