Political Earthquake in Punjab as AAP MPs Join BJP: A Political Gambit or a Battle for Survival?

New Delhi. Born out of an anti-corruption movement and the trust of the people, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is now undergoing its most dramatic internal rebellion to date. On Friday, seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs quit the party and joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Ashok Mittal announced this major political upheaval during a press conference held at the BJP headquarters.

Chadha claimed that 7 out of the 10 Rajya Sabha MPs are with them—a list that includes the names of Harbhajan Singh, Swati Maliwal, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikram Sahney. To circumvent the Anti-Defection Law—by crossing the two-thirds majority threshold—these MPs have sent a formal letter to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha requesting to merge their parliamentary identity with the BJP. Consequently, the NDA’s strength in the Rajya Sabha has risen from 141 to 148. Meanwhile, this move by the seven MPs—including Raghav Chadha—to quit the party appears to have been undertaken with the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections in mind.

In fact, for the past few months, there had been indications that the BJP was planning to facilitate the defection of certain prominent political leaders in Punjab, and the party was merely waiting for the opportune moment to execute this move. Regarding today’s press conference, the BJP had been engaged in a distinct kind of internal deliberation; the venue for the briefing had already been finalized, and the microphones were set up. It was at that moment that Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Ashok Mittal stepped out, smiling.

‘We Came to Change the System, Not to Build Careers’
During the press conference held at the BJP headquarters, Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak appeared to adopt a rather tough stance. Speaking with visible emotion, Raghav Chadha stated that they had not entered politics to build careers, but rather to change the system. He alleged that the very system they had sought to reform had, in turn, begun to encroach upon their core values. Similarly, Sandeep Pathak stated that this decision was not an easy one; however, when the space for honest politics begins to shrink within one’s own home, it becomes imperative to seek out a new platform—one where your voice truly matters.

‘4 More MPs Are With Us’
For the media present at the venue, the three individuals on stage appeared to be the only ones switching sides; however, Raghav Chadha then made a sensational revelation, announcing that out of that party’s 10 MPs in the Rajya Sabha, 7—including Harbhajan Singh, Swati Maliwal, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikram Sahney—are standing together. He explained that, in addition to the three individuals seated on the dais, these four others have also switched allegiances. This implies that a total of two-thirds of the Aam Aadmi Party’s MPs have defected. Emphasis is placed on this “two-thirds” figure because it holds significance regarding the Anti-Defection Law.

The 2/3rds Math
According to political experts, the collective departure of 7 out of 10 MPs will technically be deemed a ‘merger,’ thereby safeguarding their parliamentary membership. The Rajya Sabha Secretariat will now issue a formal notification in this regard, following the concurrence of BJP National President Nitin Naveen. Once this notification is published in the Gazette of India, all seven of these MPs will officially be recognized as members of the BJP. Currently, Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Ashok Mittal have met with the Party President, while the remaining four MPs are scheduled to meet with the senior leadership over the coming days.

Shift in the Balance of Power in the House
Meanwhile, with the addition of these seven MPs, the NDA’s position in the Upper House has strengthened significantly. The NDA is now just 18 MPs short of securing a two-thirds majority in the Rajya Sabha. BJP sources state that this strategy is designed not only to bolster the government at the Centre but also with the specific objective of completely sweeping out the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab. This development in Delhi—occurring exactly 24 hours after the first phase of the West Bengal elections—has sent shockwaves through the opposition camp.

BJP Sets Its Sights on Punjab
Sources indicate that the BJP’s focus is now squarely on Punjab. Ironically, the very strategists who orchestrated the formation of the AAP government in Punjab in 2022 are now at the helm of the BJP’s campaign. According to sources, Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak had been in contact with the BJP for several months. The BJP is now planning to induct several other prominent leaders, social activists, and representatives from religious organizations into the party to woo various voter segments across Punjab.

Nitin Nabin’s First Masterstroke
This marks the first major political merger during the tenure of the BJP’s new National President, Nitin Nabin. When he arrived at the BJP headquarters at 5 PM, clad in a blue jacket and exuding confidence, a smile of triumph was clearly visible on his face. His party’s return to power in Delhi after 27 years—coupled with this latest move to bring Punjab MPs into the fold—is being viewed as an integral part of his aggressive political strategy. In photographs and videos, the new members were welcomed with open arms—a scene that underscores the bitter reality of Indian politics: that here, no loyalty is permanent.