Chadha, 6 Other AAP RS MPs Quit Party, Join BJP

The AAP accused the BJP of launching ‘Operation Lotus’ in Punjab to disrupt the “tremendous work” done by the Bhagwant Mann-led government in the state. AAP convener and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said the BJP had “once again betrayed Punjabis”.

Besides Chadha, six other AAP Rajya Sabha MPs who joined the BJP are the former cricketer Harbhajan Singh; Swati Maliwal, social activist who had accused Kejriwal’s aide of assaulting her; Rajinder Gupta of the Trident textile group with assets of over ₹5,000 crore; Vikram Sahney, entrepreneur and international president of the World Punjabi Organisation; Ashok Mittal, founder and Chancellor of Lovely Professional University; and Sandeep Pathak, formerly associated with the IIT-Delhi, Oxford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The anti-defection law cannot be slapped against the rebels because two-thirds of the existing AAP MPs from the Upper House of Parliament switched over to the BJP.

Interestingly, the AAP had replaced Chadda with Mittal as deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha last month amidst rumours of the former being sidelined. Mittal was also in news recently when the ED raided his premises in Punjab.

Of the seven Rajya Sabha MPs, only Maliwal is from Delhi; the rest are from Punjab.

The BJP, meanwhile, has launched its poll campaign in Punjab. Senior leader and Union home minister Amit Shah had addressed the "Badlav Rally" last month and had announced the saffron party will go solo in the impending elections in Punjab.

The defection took place in the middle of the West Bengal polls, where Kejriwal is scheduled to address his first rally on Monday in support of the TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee. Riled by his former colleagues’ act, the Punjab Chief Minister dubbed the "turncoat" AAP's Rajya Sabha members "gaddars" (traitors).

Breathing fire, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh claimed the entire exercise was carried out under the BJP's Operation Lotus, branding Mr Chadha and others as "traitors". He said that the people of Punjab will punish them.

Of the seven AAP MPs who joined the BJP, three —Chadda, Pathak and Mittal — held a press conference to announce their decision. The trio later met BJP chief Nitin Nabin at the saffron party headquarters. The BJP president welcomed the new entrants into the "BJP family".

“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. The party is no longer working for the country or in the national interest but for personal gain…" said Chadda during the press conference.

"For the past few years, I could feel that I was the right man in the wrong party. So, today, we announce that I am distancing myself from the AAP and getting close to the public,” Chadda added.

Posting about the development on X, Chadda wrote, “Today, exercising the provisions of the Constitution India, more than two-thirds of the AAP MPs in the Rajya Sabha have merged with the BJP. Seven MPs have signed the document, which was submitted to the Hon’ble Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. I, along with the two other MPs, personally handed over the signed documents.”

Later, the AAP leader in the Rajya Sabha posted that he will submit a letter to the House Chairman demanding that the three MPs be disqualified under the anti-defection law.

"I will submit a letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairman seeking that Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal and Sandeep Pathak be declared disqualified from Rajya Sabha membership for joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)," Singh posted.

Maliwal also posted on X informing about her decision: "From the RTI movement and the Anna movement to the formation of the Aam Aadmi Party and my eight years of dedicated service at the Delhi Commission for Women, I contributed with absolute 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."

Recalling the incident which had taken place at Kejriwal's official residence, Maliwal alleged that she was subjected to "severe physical assault and gross misconduct" on the then CM's instructions and claimed that attempts were made to shield the accused.

Maliwal also accused the party leadership of allowing "rampant corruption", promoting "criminal elements" and failing to address issues related to harassment and violence against women. "Seeing the unchecked corruption growing in the Aam Aadmi Party under Kejriwal Ki's patronage, incidents of harassment and assault against women, the promotion of thuggish elements, and the betrayal and looting happening in Punjab, I have decided to leave the party today," she declared.

Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh after Chadha's press conference in the national capital, the Punjab CM alleged that the BJP was trying to break the AAP and had "betrayed the people of Punjab".

"When they did not find anything against Bhagwant Mann and did not level a single allegation, they tried to break the AAP," said Mann, who returned on Friday after nearly a week-long visit to the Netherlands and Finland to attract investments for his state.

Reacting to the development, former Union law minister Ashwini Kumar said, “While there is no immediate threat to the Mann government, the addition of seven more Rajya Sabha members from Punjab to its kitty is a significant morale booster for the BJP, which has succeeded in establishing its presence across the state in the last few years…"

The former Union minister said the development has once again demonstrated the BJP's capacity for deft political moves and harnessing the factors of power to its advantage.