Earlier in the day, Chadha, along with fellow Rajya Sabha members Ashok Mittal and Sandeep Pathak, declared that they would lead four additional Members of Parliament in joining the BJP. Confirming the decision, Chadha stated that he had devoted 15 years to the party but now believed it had deviated from its principles of honest politics. He described himself as “the right man in the wrong party” and alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party had become “corrupt and compromised.” He added that the formal communication regarding the merger had already been signed and submitted to the Rajya Sabha.
Sources indicated that Chadha, who had recently faced criticism within the party for allegedly softening his stance toward Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, could be rewarded with a ministerial position at the Union level following his switch.
The total number of AAP Members of Parliament expected to join the BJP stands at seven. This figure is politically significant as it aligns with the provisions of the anti-defection law, which requires at least two-thirds of a party’s legislators to defect together in order to avoid disqualification. The Aam Aadmi Party currently has ten members in the Rajya Sabha, including seven from Punjab and three from Delhi.
Chadha revealed that former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh and former Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal would also join the move, along with Rajinder Gupta and Vikram Sahney, in addition to Mittal and Pathak.
Maliwal’s inclusion did not come as a surprise, given her strained relationship with the party since May 2024, when she accused Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar of assaulting her at the Chief Minister’s residence. The incident marked a turning point in her association with the party.
The announcement triggered strong reactions within AAP. Senior leader Sanjay Singh sharply criticized Chadha, accusing him of betraying the party that had elevated him to the Rajya Sabha. He alleged that Chadha had effectively aligned himself with the BJP.
The episode has exposed deep internal divisions within the Aam Aadmi Party. The party, which had secured three consecutive electoral victories in Delhi based on Kejriwal’s anti-corruption platform and grassroots appeal, saw its momentum falter last year. This followed the imprisonment of Kejriwal and his close associate Manish Sisodia in connection with the liquor policy case, along with allegations of financial irregularities related to the renovation of the Chief Minister’s residence.
Tensions within the party became evident on April 2, when Kejriwal removed Chadha from the position of deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha and replaced him with Mittal. Sources close to Chadha had then claimed that the move was intended to silence him.
The political crisis unfolds at a crucial time, as the AAP government in Punjab, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, prepares to seek a second term in the upcoming state elections next year. Chadha has been widely regarded as a key strategist behind the party’s previous electoral success in the state.
Chadha rose rapidly within the party, serving as its national spokesperson and frequently representing it in televised debates. He was appointed national treasurer at the age of 26. In the 2020 Delhi Assembly election, he won from Rajinder Nagar and later served as vice-chairman of the Delhi Jal Board. In 2022, he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the party.
This large-scale defection marks a critical juncture for the Aam Aadmi Party, raising questions about its internal cohesion and political future ahead of key electoral battles.
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