Rajya Sabha Chairman Approves Merger Of 7 AAP MPs With BJP; Tally Now Rises To 113

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan has approved the merger of seven Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Members of Parliament with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

The move, finalised on Monday, April 27, 2026, effectively reduces AAP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha from ten to just three, while significantly boosting the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) tally.

The group of defecting MPs is led by high-profile leaders Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Ashok Mittal. They are joined by former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, Swati Maliwal, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikramjit Sahney. 

The "Two-Thirds" Strategy

The merger was executed with precision to bypass the stringent Anti-Defection Law under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution. 

By ensuring that exactly seven out of ten members (over the required two-thirds threshold) moved together, the MPs successfully argued that their transition constitutes a merger of the legislative party rather than individual defections.

At a press conference held shortly after the Chairman’s nod, Raghav Chadha described the move as a constitutional necessity, stating that the AAP had deviated from its founding principles and core morals.

He remarked that he felt like a "right man in the wrong party" and pledged to work under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Impact on the Upper House

The BJP’s technical strength in the Rajya Sabha will rise to approximately 113, inching closer to an absolute majority.

With only three MPs remaining, Sanjay Singh, N.D. Gupta and Raghav Chadha's former colleagues, AAP, lose their status as a major regional force in the House.

The effective voting strength of the NDA now sits comfortably around the 148 mark, easing the passage of critical legislative bills.

The AAP leadership has reacted with fury, accusing the BJP of orchestrating "Operation Lotus" to destabilise the opposition. 

Senior leader Sanjay Singh has already indicated that the party will challenge the Chairman’s decision in the Supreme Court, arguing that a merger must happen at the original political party level, not just within the legislative wing.

"Goodbye Tukde-Tukde INDI Alliance"

Kiren Rijiju tweets on X, stating, “Hon'ble Chairman Rajya Sabha Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan Ji has accepted the merger of 7 AAP MPs with BJP. Now, Raghav Chadha ji, Sandeep Pathak ji, Ashok Mittal ji, Harbhajan Singh ji, Swati Maliwal ji, Rajinder Gupta ji & Vikramjit Singh Sahney ji are Members of the BJP Parliamentary Party. For a long time, I've observed that these 7 Hon'ble MPs have not resorted to abusive language and never created any indiscipline and unparliamentary conduct. Welcome to nation-building NDA under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and goodbye to Tukde-Tukde INDI Alliance.”