Raghav Chadha To Join BJP, Says 2/3rd of AAP Rajya Sabha MPs Also Merging | Kejriwal | AAP | Modi
The announcement comes days after Raghav Chadha was removed by the AAP from the post of Rajya Sabha deputy leader and replaced by Ashok Mittal, who is also part of members merging with the BJP.
Who are the AAP Rajya Sabha MPs merging with BJP?
Raghav Chadha,
Ashok Mittal,
Sandeep Pathak,
Harbhajan Singh,
Rajinder Gupta,
Vikram Sahney,
Swati Maliwal
There are 10 AAP MPs in the Rajya Sabha and, according to Raghav Chadha, more than two-third of them are part of the decision — a figure needed for the MPs to retain their membership in the upper house. Track Raghav Chadha news updates here
Of the seven who have switched sides, six are MPs from Punjab, elected in 2022 when the AAP won the state elections with massive mandate.
About the MPs
Raghav Chadha: He became one of the youngest members of the Rajya Sabha from Punjab in 2022. A chartered accountant by profession, he earlier served as an MLA in Delhi and held key roles in party strategy. He was removed from the post of Rajya Sabha deputy leader last month for “wasting” Parliament time by raising “soft” issues.
Ashok Mittal: Founder of Lovely Professional University (LPU), he was also elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab in 2022. He has also held leadership roles within AAP’s parliamentary wing. He was named as the Rajya Sabha deputy leader after Raghav Chadha’s removal.
Sandeep Pathak: An academic-turned-politician, he is known for being AAP’s national organisation builder and strategist. He became a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab in 2022 and plays a key role in managing party operations.
Harbhajan Singh: A former Indian international cricketer, he is widely known for his off-spin bowling and long sports career. He entered politics with AAP and became a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab in 2022.
Rajinder Gupta: An industrialist, Gupta is the founder and chairman emiritus of Trident Group, an Indian conglomerate engaged in textiles, paper and chemicals. Rajinder Gupta has been serving as a MP in the Rajya Sabha from Punjab since November 2025.
Vikram Sahney: A businessman and social worker, Sahney elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab in 2022 on an AAP ticket. Sahney has been conferred with the Padma Shri.
Swati Maliwal: A former chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, Maliwal is known for her activism on women’s rights and safety. She entered the Rajya Sabha in 2024 representing Delhi.
Under the Constitution’s Tenth Schedule, a member of the Rajya Sabha is exempt from anti-defection disqualification only if two-thirds of his/her party’s legislators together agree to merge with another party. Read more here
Chadha underlined this in his the press conference as well as in a post on X: “We, two-thirds of the Members of Parliament belonging to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Rajya Sabha, will exercise the provisions of the Constitution of India and merge with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).”
