Fastest growing startup to implosion: Future tense for AAP as Raghav Chadha leads Rajya Sabha exodus

NEW DELHI: The Arvind Kejriwal-led party on Friday suffered one of its biggest internal jolts, as Raghav Chadha, once its rising star and Kejriwal's blue-eyed boy, led a massive Rajya Sabha exodus to the Bharatiya Janata Party.The murmurs of dissent from Raghav Chadha exploded into a full-blown rebellion. Chadha didn't just walk away, he took with him a large chunk of AAP's strength in the Rajya Sabha, dragging the party into one of the gravest crises since its birth in 2012.The “ghayal” Raghav Chadha rebellion has left the AAP “ghayal.”The cracks, long hidden beneath the surface, burst into the open after Chadha was removed as deputy leader in the Upper House, a post handed to Ashok Mittal, who has now also joined the revolt.The fastest-growing political startup, which formed three consecutive governments in Delhi, including two with historic mandates, and later swept to power in Punjab within just 15 years of its formation, is now facing internal dissent. Its own leaders are openly questioning “Kejriwal’s brand of politics” and accusing it of drifting away from “honest politics” in a tone of rebellion.What lies next for AAP?

Faces of the rebellion

The exodus features several high-profile names, including Swati Maliwal, who had already drifted away from the party after alleging a physical assault by Bibhav Kumar at then-chief minister Kejriwal's official residence in 2024.

Joining the breakaway group are cricketer-turned-Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh, along with Sandeep Pathak, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikramjit Singh Sahney, names that add weight and visibility to the rebellion.Standing before the media, Chadha delivered a stinging parting shot, calling himself the “right man in the wrong party,” before formally crossing over to the BJP at its headquarters in New Delhi.

Numbers that shake the party

But the real blow lies in the numbers. In a stunning show of strength, six other AAP MPs, taking the tally to seven out of the party's total 10 in the Rajya Sabha, have sided with Chadha.

For AAP, this is not just a rebellion; it is a near-decimation of its presence in the Upper House.Announcing the move, Chadha said two-thirds of AAP's Rajya Sabha MPs had decided to merge with the BJP."We have decided that we, the 2/3rd members belonging to the AAP in Rajya Sabha, exercise the provisions of the Constitution of India and merge ourselves with the BJP," he said at a press conference alongside Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal at the Constitution Club.Explaining his decision, Chadha accused the party of straying from its founding ideals."The AAP, which I nurtured with my blood and sweat, and gave 15 years of my youth to, has deviated from its principles, values and core morals. Now this party does not work in the interest of the nation but for its personal benefits...For the past few years, I could feel that I am 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," he said.Meanwhile, Kejriwal reacted immediately, suggesting the move was orchestrated by the BJP, and said, "The BJP has betrayed Punjabis again."

From anti-corruption crusade to internal revolt

The irony is hard to miss. A party born out of Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement, which once promised to upend "traditional" politics with a model of "new politics," now finds itself accused by its own leaders of abandoning those very ideals.The outsider that challenged the system is now battling a revolt from within, one that threatens to shake its very foundations.

Delhi defeat: the turning point

Not very long ago, the Delhi debacle struck the Kejriwal brigade at the hands of the BJP, majorly denting AAP's national standing and influence.Reduced to governing only Punjab under chief minister Bhagwant Mann and with a limited presence in Parliament, AAP was already on the back foot. Friday’s rebellion has further eroded its strength in the Rajya Sabha, deepening the crisis.In 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the AAP secured just 3 seats in Punjab.

Now with the revised Rajya Sabha tally, AAP is left with total 6 MPs to voice its concerns in Parliament.

From meteoric rise to political slide

The twin blows of 2025 and 2026, first the Delhi defeat and now this major exodus, have pushed AAP into what could be its most vulnerable phase yet.Emerging from an anti-corruption wave, AAP positioned itself as a disruptor, challenging the Congress establishment at the Centre under Manmohan Singh and in Delhi under long-time chief minister Sheila Dikshit.In its first electoral battle, AAP stunned the political class. Kejriwal unseated Sheila Dikshit, ending her 15-year rule and defeating her in the New Delhi constituency. What followed was a meteoric rise -- 67 out of 70 seats in 2015 and 62 in 2020.But by 2025, the tide had turned. The BJP stormed back into Delhi after over two-decades of dry, slashing AAP's tally dangerously to 22 seats and chairing Rekha Gupta as the chief minister.

Controversies and cracks within

Announcing his exit, Chadha perfectly set himself in the BJP's narrative to target his former boss Kejriwal, accusing AAP of prioritising "personal benefits" over "national interest." His departure, and the scale of support behind him, has amplified those charges.Over the years, AAP's top leadership, including Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and Satyendra Jain, faced scrutiny from agencies like the ED and CBI. Jail terms and investigations, even as some cases later weakened in court, dented the party’s anti-corruption image.Interestingly, Chadha largely stayed away from these controversies. Even during Kejriwal’s time in jail and subsequent relief, he maintained a noticeable distance—fueling speculation of a widening internal rift.After the exit of Raghav Chadha and other rebel MPs from the

Aam Aadmi Party

, Party's leader in Rajya Sabha Sanjay Singh led the charge and mounted a fierce attack on the BJP, alleging a coordinated effort to weaken and destabilise the party through central agencies such as the ED and CBI.Responding strongly to the developments, Singh said, "Bharatiya Janata Party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah have begun their 'Operation Lotus' to stop the good work of Punjab's Bhagwant Mann Government. 7 AAP Rajya Sabha MPs are joining the BJP. The people of Punjab should remember these 7 names. These 'traitors' of Punjab would never be forgiven by the people."

Punjab: The next battleground

The focus now shifts to Punjab.Chadha played a key role in AAP's 2022 build-up to landslide victory, helping the party leap from 20 seats in 2017 to 92 out of 117. The victory ousted the Congress government led by Charanjit Singh Channi and established AAP's second full-fledged government after Delhi.Now, with Chadha and several Punjab-linked MPs exiting, cracks may begin to show.Meanwhile, chief minister and Kejriwal loyalist Bhagwant Mann has hit back strongly, calling the departing leaders “traitors” and dismissing their prospects in the BJP. He also accused the BJP of attempting to expand its footprint in Punjab through defections.Yet, the political equations are shifting. With Congress still the principal opposition and the BJP now bolstered by former AAP faces, the contest could intensify.There is a certain political irony at play.Just as AAP once rose by dislodging Congress, from Delhi in 2013 to Punjab in 2022, the BJP has now toppled AAP in Delhi.The question now lingers: is Punjab next for the BJP?