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Raghav Chadha
Raghav Chadha has quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and is set to merge with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in a major political shift that could significantly weaken the party’s presence in the Rajya Sabha.
In a stinging assessment of his former party, Chadha said AAP had strayed from its founding principles. “Purane AAP wohi AAP nahi rahi,” he said, describing the outfit as “corrupt and compromised,” and adding, “I was a right man in a wrong party.”
Chadha came out in an open rift with his party earlier this month, after he was removed as the party's Deputy leader in Rajya Sabha.
The move is not an isolated exit. According to sources, nearly two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha members are expected to follow Chadha into the BJP, including Ashok Mittal and Sandeep Pathak. The potential exodus could reshape the party’s parliamentary strength and alter the balance within the Upper House.
Chadha, once seen as one of AAP’s most prominent young leaders and a key face of its national ambitions, had been central to the party’s messaging beyond Delhi and Punjab. His exit — coupled with the likely defection of other MPs — signals deepening fault lines within the party.
For the BJP, the development represents a significant political gain, bolstering its numbers and influence in the Rajya Sabha while simultaneously denting a key opposition player.
The transition is expected to unfold in the coming days, with formal announcements likely as the leaders complete the process of joining the BJP.
In a stinging assessment of his former party, Chadha said AAP had strayed from its founding principles. “Purane AAP wohi AAP nahi rahi,” he said, describing the outfit as “corrupt and compromised,” and adding, “I was a right man in a wrong party.”
Chadha came out in an open rift with his party earlier this month, after he was removed as the party's Deputy leader in Rajya Sabha.
The move is not an isolated exit. According to sources, nearly two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha members are expected to follow Chadha into the BJP, including Ashok Mittal and Sandeep Pathak. The potential exodus could reshape the party’s parliamentary strength and alter the balance within the Upper House.
Chadha, once seen as one of AAP’s most prominent young leaders and a key face of its national ambitions, had been central to the party’s messaging beyond Delhi and Punjab. His exit — coupled with the likely defection of other MPs — signals deepening fault lines within the party.
For the BJP, the development represents a significant political gain, bolstering its numbers and influence in the Rajya Sabha while simultaneously denting a key opposition player.
The transition is expected to unfold in the coming days, with formal announcements likely as the leaders complete the process of joining the BJP.
