A major political shift has taken place as Raghav Chadha and several other leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), triggering a significant split within the party.

Chadha announces merger with BJP

Firstly, Chadha confirmed the move during a press conference alongside Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal. He said that a large section of AAP’s Rajya Sabha members had decided to switch sides.

“We have decided that we, the two-third members belonging to the AAP in Rajya Sabha, exercise the provisions of the Constitution of India and merge ourselves with the BJP,” Chadha said.

He also named other leaders joining the move, including Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney and Swati Maliwal.

Move may bypass anti-defection law

Moreover, this development is politically significant because it involves nearly two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha members. If this number is confirmed, the group may avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law by formally merging with another party.

The timing is also crucial, as AAP is preparing for elections in Punjab, where it currently holds power.

Chadha’s journey in AAP

Meanwhile, Chadha has been closely associated with Arvind Kejriwal since the early days of the party. He joined during the later phase of the India Against Corruption movement, when discussions about forming a political party were underway.

An alumnus of Modern School in Delhi and a chartered accountant by profession, Chadha quickly rose within the party. He became AAP’s national spokesperson and was appointed national treasurer at the age of 26.

In 2020, he won the Delhi Assembly election from Rajinder Nagar and later served as vice-chairman of the Delhi Jal Board. In 2022, he entered the Rajya Sabha as AAP’s nominee.

However, in recent months, there had been speculation about his position within the party, especially after internal changes.

Mittal’s role and ED raids

At the same time, Ashok Mittal had earlier replaced Chadha as the party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. At that point, Mittal described the change as a “routine” decision.

Soon after taking on the role, Mittal faced raids by the Enforcement Directorate at his residence in Jalandhar. Mittal is also the founder-chancellor of Lovely Professional University.

According to sources, the raids were linked to a money laundering investigation. Authorities also searched properties connected to the university and members of Mittal’s family.