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Three Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MPs—Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal—joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in New Delhi on Thursday.
Chadha cites constitutional route, alleges suppression
Speaking to reporters alongside Pathak and Mittal, Chadha said the move was made in line with constitutional provisions. He alleged that AAP tried to suppress his voice and claimed the party, which came to power promising to fight corruption, had “turned into a corrupt party,” prompting their exit.
Claim of wider backing within AAP’s RS group
Chadha said AAP has 10 Rajya Sabha MPs and claimed that two-thirds of them were backing the move. He said signed documents and letters of support had been submitted to the Rajya Sabha Chairman, and named Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney and Swati Maliwal as supporters.
Praise for Modi government; Pathak resigns from AAP
Chadha praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, citing steps taken against terrorism and efforts to place India among the world’s top 10 economies, and said they would work with Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Pathak said he had been with AAP for 10 years and was leaving the party from Thursday.
Background
Chadha was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab in 2022 and had served as AAP’s deputy leader in the Upper House before being removed, with Mittal appointed in his place. Mittal and Pathak were also elected from Punjab to the Rajya Sabha in 2022.
