Seven AAP Members of the Council of States Merge with BJP, Raising Party Strength to 113

The lawmakers involved in the merger are Raghav Chadha, Ashok Kumar Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Sandeep Kumar Pathak, Dr. Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Swati Maliwal, and Rajinder Gupta. The group had resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party on April 24, citing a deviation from the party’s founding principles as the primary reason for their departure.

To ensure protection from disqualification under anti-defection provisions, the group invoked the merger clause of the Tenth Schedule. As seven out of the ten members of the Aam Aadmi Party in the Upper House supported the move, the requirement of a two-thirds majority was met, allowing the transition to proceed legally.

Following this development, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s strength in the Council of States has risen to 113 members, while the National Democratic Alliance’s combined tally has reached 145. In contrast, the Aam Aadmi Party has been reduced to just three members in the Upper House, significantly weakening its parliamentary presence.

The political shift has also triggered a reaction beyond the legislature. Raghav Chadha reportedly experienced a decline of over two million followers on his Instagram account amid widespread online backlash following the announcement.

This merger represents a decisive moment in the evolving political landscape, reinforcing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s influence in the Upper House while dealing a substantial blow to the Aam Aadmi Party’s standing at the national level.