24 April,2026 06:21 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondent
Sanjay Singh. Pic/PTI
A political storm erupted after seven Rajya Sabha MPs of the Aam Aadmi Party announced their decision to merge with the Bharatiya Janata Party, prompting sharp reactions from party leaders. Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh on Friday termed the MPs "traitors of Punjab" and accused the BJP of attempting to destabilise the state's political landscape, reported ANI.
Addressing a press conference, Sanjay Singh alleged that the BJP leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, had launched what he described as "Operation Lotus" to weaken the AAP-led government in Punjab, reported ANI.
He claimed that the move was aimed at halting the governance initiatives of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Singh urged the people of Punjab to remember the names of the MPs who switched sides, asserting that they would be held accountable politically.
Echoing similar sentiments, Bhagwant Mann said the MPs who chose to leave the party no longer represent the people of Punjab. He added that their political future in the BJP would not necessarily be secure, reported ANI.
AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal also criticised the development, accusing the BJP of undermining the mandate of Punjab's electorate. His remarks came amid growing tensions between the two parties following the mass exit.
The controversy follows the announcement by Raghav Chadha, along with Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal, that two-thirds of AAP's Rajya Sabha MPs have decided to merge with the BJP.
According to Chadha, seven out of the party's 10 MPs in the Upper House have supported the move, fulfilling the constitutional requirement for a merger. He said a formal letter along with necessary documents had been submitted to the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
Other MPs who are part of the group include Harbhajan Singh, Swati Maliwal, Rajendra Gupta, and Vikramjit Singh Sahney.
Explaining the decision, Chadha accused the AAP leadership of straying from its founding ideology and prioritising personal interests over public service. He said he had felt for some time that he no longer aligned with the party's direction.
He also dismissed allegations from within the party that he had been soft on the BJP, calling them part of a coordinated attempt to discredit him.
The split comes shortly after Chadha was removed as Deputy Leader of AAP in the Rajya Sabha, indicating internal tensions had been building for some time.
The mass defection marks a significant setback for AAP at the national level and could alter the balance of power in the Rajya Sabha if the merger is formally accepted. It also sets the stage for an intensified political battle between AAP and BJP, particularly in Punjab, where the ruling party now faces both governance and political challenges.
(With inputs from ANI)
