JNM journalist Hardeep Jamwal, Jammu
National politics witnessed a major turnaround on Friday when Raghav Chadha left the Aam Aadmi Party and joined the BJP. Along with him, a total of seven Rajya Sabha MPs also resigned from the party and began a new political career, dealing a major blow to the Aam Aadmi Party.
Announcing this decision at a press conference in Chandigarh, Raghav Chadha said that the decision was made with the consent of two-thirds of the party’s MPs, and therefore, the anti-defection law will not apply to it. He said, “I had a feeling for a long time that I was the right person in the wrong party.”
Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Kumar Mittal also joined the BJP along with Raghav Chadha. At the party office, President Nitin Naveen formally inducted these leaders into the party.
Raghav Chadha stated that Harbhajan Singh, Vikramjit Singh Sahni, Swati Maliwal, and Rajendra Gupta were also involved in this decision, although some of these members have not yet publicly revealed their views.
An important aspect of this entire development concerns Ashok Kumar Mittal, whose Jalandhar residence was raided by the Enforcement Directorate on April 15th. His joining the Bharatiya Janata Party ten days after the raid has become a topic of discussion in political circles.
Indications were already there
According to political experts, signs of Raghav Chadha’s move had been visible for the past two years.
His silence during Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest in 2024,
his distance after the Aam Aadmi Party’s defeat in the Delhi elections in 2025,
his frequent absence from party events,
and his removal of party affiliation from social media—
all of these had already strengthened speculation about his separation.
A major setback for the Aam Aadmi Party
The loss of seven of its ten Rajya Sabha MPs is being considered a major political loss for the party. Especially with the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections approaching, this development could impact both the party’s strategy and organization.
What’s next?
All eyes are now on the response of the remaining members and the party leadership. It will be important to see how the Aam Aadmi Party overcomes this crisis and its impact on the upcoming elections.
