Raghav Chadha on Friday made a surprise announcement that he and six other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MPs are merging with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a move to ensure retention in the Upper House.
The announcement comes days after Raghav Chadha was removed by the AAP from the post of deputy leader of the Rajya Sabha and replaced by Ashok Mittal, who is also part of the members merging with the BJP.
Who are the AAP Rajya Sabha MPs merging with BJP?
raghav chadha,
ashok mittal,
sandeep pathak,
harbhajan singh,
rajender gupta,
Vikram Sahni,
Swati Maliwal
There are 10 AAP MPs in the Rajya Sabha, and according to Raghav Chadha, more than two-thirds of them are part of the resolution – the number required for MPs to retain their membership in the Upper House. Follow Raghav Chadha news updates here
Among the seven who changed sides are six MPs from Punjab, who were elected in 2022 when the AAP won the state elections with a massive mandate.
About the representatives
Raghav Chadha: He became one of the youngest members of the Rajya Sabha from Punjab in 2022. A chartered accountant, he previously served as an MLA in Delhi and held key roles in the party’s strategy. He was removed as deputy leader of the Rajya Sabha last month on charges of “wasting” Parliament’s time by raising “soft” issues.
Ashok Mittal: Founder of Lovely Professional University (LPU), he was also elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab in 2022. He has also held leadership roles within the parliamentary wing of AAP. He was appointed Deputy Leader of the Rajya Sabha after the dismissal of Raghav Chadha.
Sandeep Pathak: An academician-turned-politician, he is known as a national organization builder and strategist at AAP. He became a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab in 2022 and plays a key role in running the party’s operations.
Harbhajan Singh: A former Indian international cricketer, he is widely known for his off-season bowling and long sporting career. He entered politics with AAP and became a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab in 2022.
Rajinder Gupta: An industrialist, Gupta is the founder and honorary chairman of Trident, an Indian textile, paper and chemicals conglomerate. Rajender Gupta has been serving as Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab since November 2025.
Vikram Sahni: A businessman and social worker, Sahni was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab in 2022 on an AAP ticket. Sahni was awarded the Padma Shri.
Swati Maliwal: Maliwal, former president of the Delhi Commission for Women, is known for her activism in the field of women’s rights and safety. She entered Rajya Sabha in 2024 representing Delhi.
Under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, a Rajya Sabha member is exempt from disqualification for combating defection only if two-thirds of the legislators of his party agree to merger with another party. Read more here
Chadha emphasized this in his press conference as well as in a post on
