The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Arvind Kejriwal, faced a major setback on Friday when MP Raghav Chadha, who was demoted in the Rajya Sabha just weeks prior, joined the BJP. The signs of trouble were evident when Chadha lost his position as deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha earlier this month.
However, the real shock came with his announcement that two-thirds of AAP MPs would merge with the BJP.
In a joint press conference, Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal confirmed they were leading a group of seven MPs out of AAP. The others include Swati Maliwal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta and Vikram Sahney. Together, they form more than two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha strength, meeting the threshold for a formal merger.
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"The Aam Aadmi Party, which I nurtured with my blood and sweat and to which I gave 15 years of my youth, has now completely deviated from its principles, values, and core morals. I felt like the right man in the wrong party," said Raghav Chadha.
Raghav Chadha
The 37-year-old Raghav Chadha has been with the AAP since it started. He was once viewed as the "de facto Chief Minister" of Punjab.
His departure just a year before the Punjab elections will be a significant setback for the AAP in the only state where it currently holds power. Chadha, a London-educated chartered accountant, was once the favorite of Kejriwal. He played a key role in AAP's success in Punjab, competing against major parties like SAD and Congress.
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However, Chadha began to pull away from the party after top AAP leaders, including then Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, were imprisoned in the liquor policy case. His long silence on party issues eventually frustrated the AAP. This led to his removal as AAP's deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha on April 2. A few days later, he joined the BJP.
Ashok Mittal
Perhaps the most surprising name on the list is Ashok Kumar Mittal, who was named AAP's deputy leader just 22 days ago, replacing Raghav Chadha. Mittal, a businessman turned politician, is best known as the founder of Lovely Professional University (LPU).
He entered active politics in 2022, the same year he was elected to the Rajya Sabha by AAP from Punjab. However, he has recently been under investigation by the ED. Just last week, the ED conducted searches at several locations connected to Mittal under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).
Sandeep Pathak
A prominent AAP member, Sandeep Pathak's departure will hurt the party significantly. Pathak was not just an MP but also part of AAP's inner circle since at least 2018. He was so close to Kejriwal that he was one of the three people allowed to meet him in Tihar Jail. The other two were his wife Sunita and aide Bibhav Kumar.
A highly educated leader, Pathak held a PhD from the University of Cambridge and completed post-doctoral research at Oxford University. Although he mostly worked behind the scenes, he played a key role in developing strategies for AAP during the 2020 Delhi elections and the 2022 Punjab polls.
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While Pathak has not stated why he left the party, Chadha mentioned in his press conference that the seven MPs felt AAP had strayed from its core values and principles.
Swati Maliwal
Almost two years after her public conflict with Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP, Swati Maliwal has officially joined the BJP. Her exit follows months of rising tensions with AAP's leaders. Once seen as close to Kejriwal, the activist-turned-politician Maliwal became one of AAP's most vocal internal critics, claiming the leadership had strayed from its founding principles.
Announcing her decision on Friday, Maliwal wrote on X, "In 2006, I left my job to choose the path of national service. Through the RTI movement, the Anna movement, the formation of the Aam Aadmi Party, and 8 years of dedicated work in the Delhi Women's Commission, I contributed with complete honesty and devotion at every stage.
With great sorrow today, I must say that the principles, values, and resolve for honest politics with which we began this journey have been abandoned by Arvind Kejriwal ji and, at his behest, the entire Aam Aadmi Party."
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan played 103 Tests, 236 ODIs, and 28 T20Is for India from 1998 to 2016. He entered politics by joining AAP. The party, led by Arvind Kejriwal, nominated him to the Rajya Sabha in 2022. After nearly four years with AAP, Harbhajan's move to the BJP marks a significant shift in his political journey.
His departure from AAP has left the party without a celebrity face in Punjab.
Vikram Sahney
Another Punjab-based Rajya Sabha MP, Vikram Sahney, leads the Sun Group. He is recognised for his social efforts through the Sun Foundation. The Padma Shri award winner is a well-known philanthropist, educator, and social activist. Sahney, elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2022, became prominent in the party as a policymaker.
Announcing his decision to quit AAP, Sahney wrote on X, "I believe that as part of the BJP, I will be able to serve Punjab and its people with greater dedication and effectiveness with support of the Centre.
Punjab is not just a state—it is an emotion, a legacy, and a responsibility we all share. Today, that legacy is under strain. Our state is going through a difficult financial crisis and uncertain times, and it deeply pains me.
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I have always believed in cooperative federalism and strong Centre–State partnerships. I am convinced that by working together in this spirit, we can bring stability, growth, and hope back to Punjab."
He further asserted his "lifelong commitment to Punjab" and said, "Everything I have done in public life has been guided by one principle—Punjab first. That is not just a statement, but a lifelong commitment.
...I remain committed to elevating both Punjab and India’s voice on the global stage."
Rajinder Gupta
Billionaire industrialist Rajinder Gupta is one of Punjab's richest men. With a net worth of about $1.2 billion, or roughly ₹10,000 crore, Gupta is a first-generation entrepreneur who founded Trident Limited, the main company of the Trident Group.
The Aam Aadmi Party nominated Gupta as its Rajya Sabha candidate in October last year. Gupta's declared wealth surpasses the combined wealth of Punjab political veterans like Sukhbir Singh Badal, Bikram Majithia, and Captain Amarinder Singh.
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Gupta is the founder and chairman emeritus of Trident Group, an Indian company involved in textiles, paper, and chemicals. Rajinder Gupta has served as a member of the Rajya Sabha from Punjab since November 2025.
In his last post on X on April 14, he greeted people on the occasion of Baisakhi and wrote, "Punjab taught me that before you can harvest the crop, you have to sow the seeds, and you have to sow them with complete certainty."
