Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, join BJP

Raghav Chadha and two other Rajya Sabha MPs, Ashok Mittal and Sandeep Pathak, joined the BJP on Friday in the presence of party chief Nitin Nabin in Delhi. Earlier today, addressing a press conference, Raghav Chadha said that two-thirds of the Aam Aadmi Party's Rajya Sabha MPs have quit the party and will join the BJP as a faction.

The Aam Aadmi Party has strongly reacted to the defection, labelling the move as Operation Lotus and accusing the ruling party of engaging in washing machine politics. The allegations stem from recent enforcement agency raids on one of the defecting parliamentarians, suggesting political pressure. This development comes as a major setback for the Aam Aadmi Party, significantly reducing its representation in the Upper House of Parliament and disrupting its political momentum amidst ongoing state elections across the country.