Why Raghav Chadha left AAP after 15 years and joining BJP with 6 MPs
Raghav Chadha joins BJP: In a significant political development, Raghav Chadha on Friday announced his resignation from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), bringing an end to his 15-year association with the party. He revealed that he will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with six other Rajya Sabha MPs, marking one of the biggest setbacks for the Arvind Kejriwal-led outfit in recent times.
Speaking at a press conference in New Delhi, the 37-year-old leader said he felt increasingly sidelined within his own party. “I realised I was the right person in the wrong organisation,” Chadha remarked, alleging that his voice was being suppressed.
Raghav Chadha confirmed that fellow MPs Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal will also move to the BJP. Notably, Mittal had recently replaced Chadha as the Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, a development seen as an early sign of internal tensions.
The former chartered accountant further claimed that four more AAP MPs , ex-cricketer Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney and Swati Maliwal,are set to join the BJP. If confirmed, the shift would take the number of defecting MPs to seven out of AAP’s 10 in the Rajya Sabha, comfortably crossing the two-thirds mark required to avoid disqualification under anti-defection provisions.
Raghav Chadha and the other leaders are expected to formally join the BJP in the presence of party leadership, including senior figures such as Amit Shah.
Explaining his decision, Chadha said the party he helped build had strayed from its founding ideals. He claimed that AAP, which emerged from an anti-corruption movement, no longer functions in line with those principles.
“I dedicated years of my life to strengthening this party, but over time I felt it was drifting away from its original mission,” he said, adding that he now wishes to continue his political journey with a focus on broader national priorities.
Chadha also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, citing what he described as decisive governance and strong leadership at the Centre.
Chadha’s departure comes after months of reported friction with the party leadership. Once regarded as a close aide to Kejriwal and a key strategist in AAP’s expansion, especially during the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, his relationship with senior leaders had reportedly deteriorated.
Several party figures had earlier questioned his stance in Parliament, accusing him of not taking a strong enough line against the Centre on key issues. His absence during major political flashpoints, including protests following Kejriwal’s arrest in 2024, had also drawn criticism.
Leaders such as Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh had publicly raised concerns over his political positioning and engagement with party matters.
Reacting to the development, AAP leader Sanjay Singh alleged that the BJP had orchestrated the defections as part of a larger strategy to weaken the party. He claimed that the move was carried out under what the opposition often describes as “Operation Lotus,” accusing the ruling party of targeting opposition leaders.
The sudden exit of Chadha and other MPs has intensified the political battle between AAP and BJP, particularly in Punjab and at the national level, with both sides offering sharply contrasting narratives around the high-profile switch.
- With inputs from agencies
