In a major setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Rajya Sabha Chairman has approved the merger of seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), marking a dramatic political realignment in the Upper House.
The Rajya Sabha Secretariat has issued an official notification confirming the merger, and the parliamentary records now officially list all seven former AAP MPs as members of the BJP. With this development, the BJP’s tally in the Rajya Sabha has risen to 113 members, strengthening its position in the Upper House.
Seven AAP MPs Join BJP
The seven MPs who have now formally merged with the BJP are:
- Raghav Chadha
- Ashok Kumar Mittal
- Harbhajan Singh
- Sandeep Kumar Pathak
- Vikramjit Singh Sahney
- Swati Maliwal
- Rajinder Gupta
The MPs had resigned from the AAP on April 24 and joined the BJP at the party’s headquarters in Delhi in the presence of BJP chief Nitin Nabin and senior leader Tarun Chugh.
Raghav Chadha Explains Split
Speaking at a press conference before formally joining the BJP, Raghav Chadha said the decision to break away was driven by dissatisfaction with the direction in which the AAP was moving.
He stated that “I am telling you the real reason as to why I distanced myself from party activities. I did not want to be a part of their crimes. I was not eligible for their friendship because I was not a part of their crime.”
Chadha further said that the group had only two choices — either leave politics or continue public service through a new political platform. Explaining the legal basis of the move, he said that “we, the 2/3rd members belonging to the AAP in Rajya Sabha, exercise the provisions of the Constitution of India and merge ourselves with the BJP.”
His remarks indicate that the breakaway group wanted to frame the shift as a constitutional merger rather than a political defection.
How Anti-Defection Law Allowed the Merger
Under India’s anti-defection law, contained in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, lawmakers can be disqualified if they voluntarily leave the party on whose ticket they were elected or defy the party whip in voting.
However, the law provides an exception when at least two-thirds of the members of a legislative party decide to merge with another party. In such cases, the move is treated as a valid merger, not defection.
Since seven out of AAP’s Rajya Sabha MPs chose to join the BJP together, the merger qualified under this constitutional protection, allowing the MPs to retain their seats.
Major Political Setback for AAP
The merger represents a serious political blow for the Aam Aadmi Party, which has been trying to expand its national footprint beyond Delhi and Punjab.
The loss of seven MPs in the Rajya Sabha weakens the party’s parliamentary presence and signals growing internal turbulence within the organisation.
For the BJP, however, the move adds strength in the Upper House and marks another symbolic gain against an opposition party at a time when political alignments ahead of future elections remain fluid.
The official recognition of the merger is expected to have wider political implications, not just for AAP’s internal stability but also for the BJP’s legislative influence in Parliament.
Why were the seven AAP MPs not disqualified after joining BJP?
They were protected under the anti-defection law because at least two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha MPs merged with the BJP, making it a valid merger instead of defection.
Which AAP MPs merged with BJP?
The seven MPs are Raghav Chadha, Ashok Kumar Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Sandeep Kumar Pathak, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Swati Maliwal, and Rajinder Gupta.
How many seats does BJP now have in Rajya Sabha?
After the merger of seven AAP MPs, the BJP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha has increased to 113.
What did Raghav Chadha say about leaving AAP?
Raghav Chadha said he did not want to be “part of their crimes” and that the group decided to merge with BJP under constitutional provisions.
