Raghav Chadha To Swati Maliwal: List Of 7 MPs Who Quit AAP, Set To Join BJP

Last Updated:April 24, 2026, 16:24 IST

Seven of 10 AAP Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha, Swati Maliwal, Sandeep Pathak and Harbhajan Singh, quit the party alleging loss of ideals.

In a big blow to Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), seven out of 10 Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha and Swati Maliwal, have resigned from the party and announced to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

While addressing a press conference, the Rajya Sabha MP accused the Kejriwal-led party, who came to power in Delhi over promises to fight corruption, of moving away from honest politics.

“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," Chadha said.

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“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 public," he added.

Who All Resigned from AAP?

Chadha said that seven out of 10 MPs have announced to quit the AAP to join the saffron camp.

Raghav Chadha: Chadha has been a vocal member of the AAP. He rose to prominence as one of the youngest spokespersons of the AAP and played a key role in the party’s campaigns. The move to quit the party came after the AAP removed him from the Rajya Sabha deputy leader post. Reports indicated that there has been tension between Chadha and the AAP leadership for a while. He was absent from key party events and campaigning, and was removed from his role as in-charge of Punjab. Some within the party felt his focus on specific public issues (like gig workers, airport food prices) was designed to boost his personal profile over the party’s agenda.

Sandeep Pathak: He is serving as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. Before entering active politics, Pathak was an academic and taught at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi. He is widely regarded as a key strategist for AAP and has played an important role in expanding the party’s organisational base beyond Delhi, particularly in states like Punjab and Gujarat.

Ashok Mittal: Mittal, 61, is a businessman and educationist who heads the Lovely Group, which runs a university of the same name. He is also the son of educationist Baldev Raj Mittal. He was recently appointed deputy leader of the AAP in the Rajya Sabha, replacing Raghav Chadha.

Harbhajan Singh: Ace cricketer Harbhajan Singh has also quit the AAP. After retiring from cricket, Harbhajan Singh joined AAP and was elected as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha from Punjab in 2022.

Rajinder Gupta: He is the Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab. He is best known as the chairman of Trident Group, a leading business group with interests in textiles, paper, and chemicals. Before entering politics, he built a strong reputation in the industrial sector and was actively involved in industry bodies like the Confederation of Indian Industry.

Vikram Sahney: He is also the Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab. Sahney is the chairman of the Sun Group and is widely known for his work in social service, particularly through the Sun Foundation, which focuses on education, healthcare, and humanitarian aid. He has also been actively involved in diaspora outreach and relief efforts.

Swati Maliwal: Rajya Sabha MP and former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) once a close associate of Kejriwal, has emerged as one of his most vocal critics in recent times. Maliwal has publicly expressed her disillusionment with Kejriwal’s leadership and his party’s direction.

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