Rajya Sabha setback: Buzz over Raghav Chadha’s BJP move

Aam Aadmi Party MP Raghav Chadha on Friday made a major political announcement that could reshape the party’s presence in the Rajya Sabha. He said that two-thirds of AAP members in the Upper House are merging with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He added that they are taking this step under the provisions of the Constitution of India. As a result, the MPs involved will be able to retain their membership in the Rajya Sabha without facing disqualification.

Notably, this development comes just days after AAP removed Chadha from the post of deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. The party accused him of failing to raise key issues against the government in Parliament. It also alleged that he focused more on maintaining a soft image instead of taking a strong political stand. Therefore, this sudden announcement has intensified political discussions and raised questions about internal differences within the party.

Rajya Sabha MPs in move

During a press conference, Chadha confirmed that Ashok Mittal and Sandeep Pathak are part of the merger decision. Interestingly, AAP had recently appointed Ashok Mittal as the new deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, replacing Chadha. This development has added another layer of political significance to the move.

In addition, Chadha claimed that more than two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha MPs support the decision. He named Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney, and Swati Maliwal among those who agreed to join the move. According to him, all supporting MPs have signed the required documents. Thus, the group meets the constitutional requirement needed to validate the merger and avoid disqualification.

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The math and reason behind the decision

Explaining the numbers, Chadha said that AAP currently has 10 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. Therefore, at least seven members must support the merger for it to qualify under anti-defection rules. He said the group has already crossed that mark. Moreover, they submitted the signed letters and documents to the Rajya Sabha Chairman earlier in the day.

At the same time, Chadha openly criticized AAP’s current direction and leadership. He said he had invested 15 years of his life in building the party. However, he now believes the party has moved away from its original values and principles. According to him, AAP no longer works in the larger interest of the nation. As a result, he decided to distance himself from the party and align himself closer to the public going forward.

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