In a major political earthquake on April 24, 2026, senior AAP leader Raghav Chadha, along with six other Rajya Sabha MPs - Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Swati Maliwal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikram Sahni, resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party and merged with the BJP. Invoking the two-thirds clause under the Tenth Schedule, the group cited AAP’s deviation from its core anti-corruption and governance principles as the trigger.

AAP’s Rajya Sabha strength plummeted from 10 to 3 seats, while BJP’s rose from 106 to 113, strengthening the NDA’s Upper House position. The move legally shields the defectors from disqualification and weakens AAP’s parliamentary voice significantly.

The split hits hardest in Punjab, where AAP governs and 2027 Assembly polls loom. Loss of prominent faces like Chadha risks eroding organisational morale and voter trust. In Delhi, it further dents AAP’s ability to project a polished, urban-friendly image amid existing anti-incumbency.

The exodus exposes deep factionalism and critiques of centralised leadership under Arvind Kejriwal. It echoes earlier exits of founders like Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan, raising questions about AAP’s institutionalisation and succession planning.

For the BJP, this is a tactical victory — gaining experienced voices, bolstering numbers, and reinforcing the “Operation Lotus” narrative of absorbing disillusioned opposition leaders. It amplifies BJP’s “wave of change” story ahead of key state polls.

The split underscores fragility in newer parties facing power, probes, and ambition. For the opposition INDIA bloc, it signals further disarray. AAP must now focus on governance delivery and rebuilding credibility, while whispers suggest possible further exits if agency actions intensify.

The April 24 split marks a critical inflection point - a short-term setback for AAP that could accelerate its marginalisation nationally, or a pruning that allows reinvention — depending on how Kejriwal navigates the coming months. It strengthens BJP’s dominance in narrative and numbers in the near term.