Not Just Rajya Sabha Setback: Exit Of Sandeep Pathak, Raghav Chadha Hits AAP’s Core Structure

Last Updated:April 24, 2026, 20:38 IST

Speaking with News18, a party leader described the development as a 'backstab' at a time when AAP is already under pressure

The sudden exit of seven Rajya Sabha lawmakers from AAP has not only created a vacuum in Parliament but also weakened the party’s organisational structure, particularly with Sandeep Pathak and Raghav Chadha, who were part of the party’s National Executive and Political Affairs Committee.

Termed “Operation Lotus" by the Aam Aadmi Party, the exit of seven Rajya Sabha members on Friday has left AAP with just three members in the House—two from Delhi and one from Punjab.

The announcement was made by Chadha, in the presence of Pathak and Ashok Mittal. Chadha said that Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney, and Swati Maliwal had been named as part of the move.

He posted on X, saying that more than two-thirds of the AAP MPs in the Rajya Sabha were merging with the BJP.

“Seven MPs have signed the document, which was submitted to the Hon’ble Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. I, along with two other MPs, personally handed over the signed documents," he posted on X.

Later, Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, and Sandeep Pathak joined the BJP in the presence of party chief Nitin Nabin.

Chadha’s Revolt

Chadha was not just an MP from AAP in the Rajya Sabha, but he was also a member of the National Executive. He was national spokesperson of the AAP and also in-charge of the litigation affairs, as per the official website.

Although there have already been questions around his relationship with AAP, particularly after the top leadership of the party had to go to jail in the alleged excise policy case, he continued to hold positions officially, even after relations deteriorated over the last couple of weeks.

Pathak’s Silent Exit

In the case of Pathak, he was the national general secretary organisation and AAP’s Chhattisgarh incharge. The position of the national general secretary of AAP was created just for him. He was also made a “permanent invitee" to the Political Affairs Committee, the party’s highest decision-making body. He has been working with the party full-time only after 2020.

He became an important name after the party credited him with the 2020 Delhi victory and 2022 Punjab victory, as he was said to be the brains behind the poll strategies.

In March 2022, when he filed his papers for the Rajya Sabha seat, AAP posted on X that he has been working in the background and “has been instrumental in the party’s victory in Delhi & Punjab".

Both Pathak and Chadha were part of the inner circle of the AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and were among the key leaders in the party. As Political Affairs Committee members, they were part of the team deciding the major political decisions of the party.

At least these two MPs were not only representing the party in the House but were also involved in key decision-making.

Maliwal was another important name in the list, although she had turned vocal against the party a few months ago. Maliwal’s separation—unofficial till Friday—was comparatively sudden after she was allegedly assaulted in Arvind Kejriwal’s house. Maliwal turned vocal against the party after she claimed that Kejriwal and AAP are protecting the accused.

‘Too Much Trust Too Soon’

Along with Maliwal, Chadha and Pathak were considered part of Kejriwal’s core team—a development that has raised eyebrows within the party multiple times.

Speaking with News18, a party leader described the development as a “backstab" at a time when the party is already under pressure.

“The party has always promoted fresh faces. These individuals rose in politics through the platform AAP provided, and most did not have a political identity before joining it. Today, when every party worker is fighting against central agencies, this move is not just a betrayal of AAP but also of the people of Punjab," the leader said.

The leader added that those who cannot remain loyal to a party would not remain loyal to the land.

“Perhaps it was a mistake to trust them with so many responsibilities. There is no point in taking names now, but everyone knows where things went wrong…" the leader said, trailing off.

Another leader added that the party continued trusting them despite clear signs of revolt, at least in the case of Maliwal and Chadha.

“There was time and actions could have been taken against these leaders for anti-party activities, but there was no action and now they have taken so many MPs with them," the second leader added.

The leader added that there had been clear indications for at least three MPs that they could turn against the party. Without naming them, the reference was understood to be to Chadha, Maliwal, and Mittal.

“It is difficult to withstand the pressure of raids by central agencies. Either you are completely clean, like many AAP leaders, or you succumb to the pressure… In the case of our young blood, it was clear that for them, their political ambition was much bigger than that of the party or its leadership," the leader said, acknowledging that timely action against these two “young MPs" could have saved the party from this crisis.

Party Bigger Than Individuals

A third AAP leader was confident that this crisis is going to open so many doors for so many young faces.

“They were not the real AAP, and they will never be. The party will take its action, but their exit will allow us to give much more responsibility to others in the party. AAP is not only a 100-200-member party. We are a national party, and there is no shortage of leaders and young blood here," they added.

While the party’s leadership has sought to project confidence, the exit of leaders who once formed its core raises deeper questions about internal cohesion and decision-making at a time when AAP is trying to expand beyond Delhi.

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