Inside Delhi Durbar: After Raghav Chadha Split, AAP Faces Its Toughest Test In The Capital

Last Updated:April 25, 2026, 10:12 IST

For Arvind Kejriwal and his party, the biggest challenge will be to keep MLAs from crossing over as even small losses could disproportionately damage AAP's legislative standing

The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) immediate challenge in Delhi is no longer expansion or revival—it is survival.

After Raghav Chadha led a dramatic split with six other Rajya Sabha MPs, party leaders are now scrambling to prevent the crisis from spreading to the capital’s legislative unit, according to Indian Express sources.

The biggest concern, Indian Express reports, is the risk of further defections among AAP’s MLAs in Delhi. Party insiders fear that “five to seven" AAP legislators could switch sides in the aftermath of the parliamentary revolt.

This is particularly serious, given how much AAP’s strength has already eroded. From a peak of 67 MLAs in 2015 and 62 in 2020, the party is now down to just 22 legislators in the Delhi Assembly. If even a handful of MLAs leave, AAP’s presence could shrink to near-irrelevance in the House in a steep fall for a party that once dominated Delhi politics.

The Delhi Durbar

Delhi is not just another state unit for AAP; it is the party’s political base and identity. But that base has been weakening. The party lost power in the 2025 assembly elections and now sits in opposition to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Its legislative strength has also sharply declined.

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This makes the current moment critical. Without control of Delhi, AAP loses both administrative visibility and its strongest political narrative, which is governance.

The BJP Factor

According to Indian Express sources, there is also a strategic dimension to the defections. The BJP could deploy leaders like Chadha, seen as a recognisable face, in upcoming electoral battles, particularly in Punjab.

The broader concern within AAP is that Delhi could become a testing ground for further political realignments, with pressure building on remaining MLAs.

Recent developments underline that risk. Fresh reports indicate continuing churn within AAP’s ranks, with more leaders exiting or being targeted amid the fallout of the split. News18 had reported that around 50 AAP MLAs are in touch with the BJP and many could walk out over the next couple of weeks.

The current trouble is not an isolated incident. Over the years, AAP has seen a steady stream of high-profile departures, from founding leaders to senior strategists. These exits often point to centralised decision-making and shrinking space for dissent, with internal disagreements frequently spilling into public confrontations.

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Chadha’s exit, given his proximity to the leadership and national profile, marks the most serious rupture yet, especially in the run-up to the 2027 Punjab elections.

The Road Ahead

For Arvind Kejriwal and his party, the immediate roadmap in Delhi is clear but difficult. The biggest challenge will be to prevent further defections. Keeping MLAs from crossing over is the top priority for now as even small losses could disproportionately damage the party’s legislative standing.

The second is to rebuild organisational cohesion, given that the revolt has exposed internal fault lines that will need urgent repair.

Without power in Delhi, AAP must transition from a governance-focused party to an effective opposition, something it has limited experience with in the capital. Also, given that AAP’s identity has been tied to governance and anti-corruption politics, sustaining that narrative without administrative control will be a key test.

ALSO READ | The Great AAP Exodus: Raghav Chadha Joins Long List of Kejriwal Loyalists To Quit Party

The coming weeks could determine whether AAP stabilises or slips further.

If it manages to contain defections and consolidate its reduced base, the party could still remain a relevant force in Delhi politics. But if the current churn spreads to its MLAs, the crisis triggered by Chadha’s exit may mark a deeper structural decline.

For now, AAP’s biggest battle in Delhi is not electoral but internal.

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