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In a massive blow to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), senior leader Raghav Chadha along with six other Rajya Sabha MPs has officially switched sides to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This high-profile defection has sent shockwaves through the political corridors of Punjab and Delhi, prompting AAP to initiate immediate "Crisis Management" measures.
The Great AAP Exodus: 7 MPs Move to BJP
The political landscape of Punjab changed overnight as Raghav Chadha, once considered the backbone of AAP’s Punjab strategy, led a group of 7 Rajya Sabha members to join the BJP. The defecting group includes prominent names like Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Swati Maliwal, and Harbhajan Singh.
By moving as a group of seven—which constitutes more than two-thirds of AAP’s 10-member strength in the Upper House—the MPs aim to bypass the legal hurdles of the Anti-Defection Law. Raghav Chadha stated that the decision was driven by the party's shift away from its original anti-corruption values.
Emergency Meeting in Jalandhar for Crisis Control
Following this "political surgery," the Aam Aadmi Party leadership has gone into a huddle. A high-level emergency meeting was summoned in Jalandhar to assess the damage and prevent further fragmentation of the party’s local units.
The meeting focused on:
Strengthening Local Leadership: Ensuring that the grassroots workers in Jalandhar and surrounding districts remain loyal to the party.
Public Narrative: Countering the "betrayal" narrative and framing the exit of MPs as a result of "external pressure and agencies."
Protests and Backlash: Managing the anger of party workers, who have already started staging protests against leaders like Ashok Mittal in Jalandhar.
BJP’s Growing Strength in Rajya Sabha
With this merger, the BJP’s tally in the Rajya Sabha has climbed significantly, strengthening the NDA's position in the Upper House. For AAP, this is not just a loss of numbers but a significant loss of face, especially in Punjab, where the party holds power.
Arvind Kejriwal and Sanjay Singh have termed this move a "betrayal of the Punjab mandate," while the BJP has welcomed the new members, stating they will work under PM Narendra Modi's vision for a “Viksit Bharat.”
