Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal join BJP after severing ties with AAP

Pic/PTI

In a major political development, Rajya Sabha MPs Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday after severing ties with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

The leaders formally joined the BJP at the party headquarters in the presence of Nitin Nabin, who marked the occasion by distributing sweets.

Two-thirds AAP MPs in Rajya Sabha back merger

Announcing the decision at a joint press conference, Chadha said that two-thirds of AAP's Rajya Sabha members had opted to merge with the BJP under constitutional provisions.

"AAP currently has 10 members in the Rajya Sabha, and seven of them have decided to leave the party and merge with the BJP," he said.

Chadha described the move as a collective decision taken after internal deliberations within the party's parliamentary wing.

Chadha cites ideological shift in AAP

Explaining his departure, Chadha alleged that the party had strayed from its founding principles.

"The AAP, which I nurtured with my blood and sweat and gave 15 years of my youth to, has deviated from its principles, values and core morals. The party is no longer working in the interest of the nation but for personal benefits," he said.

He added that he increasingly felt he was "in the wrong party," leading to his decision to exit.

Arvind Kejriwal hits out at BJP

Reacting sharply to the development, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP of undermining the party and "betraying Punjabis."

In a post on X, Kejriwal wrote, "BJP has once again betrayed Punjabis," expressing disappointment over the split.

AAP cries betrayal as 7 Rajya Sabha MPs quit party

The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday termed the resignation of seven of its Rajya Sabha MPs a "betrayal of Punjab", accusing the BJP of engineering the split, and using fear of central agencies to poach its leaders.

The party said the people of Punjab would not forgive those who "stabbed the state in the back" after being elevated to Parliament.

Move comes days after Chadha's removal

The political shift comes shortly after Chadha was removed as Deputy Leader of AAP in the Rajya Sabha, a move seen as indicative of growing internal rifts within the party.