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Raghav Chadha leaves AAP with 6 MPs to merge with BJP; quotes on 'sins'
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha and six other AAP MPs quit the party and merged with the BJP, a major jolt to Arvind Kejriwal's outfit. Seven of the ten AAP MPs in Rajya Sabha, mainly from Punjab, made the move while retaining their upper-house membership. Chadha cited personal reasons and criticized the party's direction, including the phrase about not wanting to be part of 'their sins'.
Why It Matters
The shake-up alters the parliamentary arithmetic in Rajya Sabha and signals a significant rift within the AAP, with potential implications for Punjab politics and national alliances.
Timeline
1 Event
Raghav Chadha and six other AAP Rajya Sabha MPs resign and merge with BJP
April 24, 2026
Chadha announced at a press conference that he, along with seven of the ten AAP MPs in the Rajya Sabha (primarily from Punjab), left the Aam Aadmi Party and merged with the Bharatiya Janata Party. He quoted, "Mai unke gunaah me shaamil nahi hona chahta tha" (I didn’t want to be a part of their sins) and explained that he had distanced himself from party activities due to reasons tied to personal integrity. He said, “We didn't enter politics to make our career, but we left our career to enter politics for the nation. And if the party (AAP) is not working for the nation, it is because the Aam Aadmi Party is not the old Aam Aadmi Party.” He further stated the real reason for the distancing and noted that the move is connected to the larger exits. The party described the development as a betrayal to the people of Punjab and an attack on the Bhagwant Mann government, while noting that the number (two-thirds of the total strength) ensured that the party members retained their membership in the upper house.