Leaving AAP Was Never My Plan; Women’s Reservation Row Triggered Exit: Swati Maliwal To News18 

Last Updated:April 30, 2026, 19:43 IST

On April 24, seven AAP Rajya Sabha lawmakers, including Maliwal, officially merged with the BJP

Leaving the Aam Aadmi Party was “never the plan" for Swati Maliwal, who asserted that she remained committed to the party since its inception despite recent tensions. However, she told CNN-News18 that the “milestone" came when, according to her, the party asked her to oppose constitutional amendments linked to the Women’s Reservation Bill.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which the government says was aimed at expediting the implementation of 33% women’s reservation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, was defeated in the Lok Sabha on April 17, after failing to secure a two-thirds majority. The proposed legislation, clubbed with the Delimitation Bill, 2026, saw 298 MPs voting in its favour and 230 against.

Just a week after the rejection, on April 24, seven AAP Rajya Sabha lawmakers, including Maliwal, officially merged with the BJP. The group constituted the required two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha parliamentary party, enabling them to invoke Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule to avoid disqualification under the anti-defection law.

When asked why she waited for so many months before officially exiting AAP after she was allegedly assaulted at the residence of party chief Arvind Kejriwal, she told CNN-News18: “This was never a plan. I never thought of quitting the party. It was my party. I have shaped the party since the very start. I was just 21 (years old) when I started (working for the people). I gave everything a deep thought."

But, she added, she could not stand the thought that AAP instructed the MPs to go against the bill. “And that became the milestone," she said.

In 2024, Maliwal was allegedly assaulted at the official residence of Kejriwal when he was the chief minister of Delhi.

However, she said instead of standing with her, the party continued to pressure her to take back the complaint, but still, quitting it was not her plan. Following the incident, Maliwal became increasingly vocal against the party while continuing as an AAP Rajya Sabha member.

“It crossed my mind multiple times that I should join the BJP because people were asking and suggesting it to me. But my heart was with the party that I made from scratch. I wanted to bring a positive change in the party from within…," she said.

Speaking about her struggles and fight for almost two years, she shared that she felt unheard despite repeatedly raising concerns.

“Despite this, I never wanted to quit. I wanted to continue fighting as a member of it…but their anti-women stand was made clear every day to me. I was never given a chance to speak in the House (Rajya Sabha) as well," she added.

Maliwal also said that it was only Kejriwal who was not supporting her after the assault; the rest of the party was on her side. Listing the anti-women steps by Kejriwal, she said four ministers and MLAs in Punjab are facing cases against women, but they remain in control.

“Everyone in the party was in my support except Mr Kejriwal. Every party member has known me for years. Not just the party, but I also got support from across the country. They all know what happened to me was wrong. If an incident took place with a woman, she needs to report it and people around her should create a system where she can speak freely and not otherwise," she added.

Maliwal further stated that she was being pressured by the leadership to take the case back; only then would she be allowed to represent the party and speak on its behalf in the Rajya Sabha.

Calling Delhi her first love, she stated that she has always wanted to improve the city and used her time in the Rajya Sabha speaking in favour of the capital.

“But I could not bring much change because Arvind Kejriwal does not listen to anyone. There is so much corruption in Punjab today, but instead, Kejriwal is using government money for his comfort—big security, big house, and travel by helicopter. I have always been against these habits and always raised my voice against this," Maliwal shared.

On her future plans, she stated that now she is a member of the BJP and its leadership will decide her roles and responsibilities in the party.

Among the seven MPs who quit the Aam Aadmi Party, leaders have cited varied reasons for their exit. Maliwal, however, linked her departure to differences over the women’s reservation issue, which she described as the turning point.

News politics Leaving AAP Was Never My Plan; Women’s Reservation Row Triggered Exit: Swati Maliwal To News18 

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