In a dramatic development on Friday, April 24, 2026, Aam Aadmi Party MPs Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal resigned from the party and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
They claimed that more than two-thirds of AAP's Rajya Sabha MPs are leaving and forming a separate faction aligned with the BJP. Chadha accused AAP of abandoning its core principles.
IMAGE: Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha meets BJP National President Nitin Nabin at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Friday, here and below. All photographs: ANI Photo
Key Points
- Senior AAP leaders Chadha, Pathak, Mittal resigned and joined BJP in a sudden, high-profile political shift.
- Leaders claim over two-thirds of AAP Rajya Sabha MPs are exiting, indicating a major parliamentary split.
- Chadha accused AAP of abandoning its founding principles, values, and internal political direction.
AAP Leaders Join BJP
IMAGE: Nitin Nabin offers sweets to Raghav Chadha at the party headquarters.
IMAGE: Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak meets Nitin Nabin at the BJP headquarters.
Rajya Sabha Split Claim
IMAGE: Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Mittal meets Nitin Nabin at the BJP headquarters. Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak are also present.
IMAGE: Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal with Nitin Nabin at the BJP headquarters, here and below.
Chadha Slams AAP Values
IMAGE: Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal arrive to meet Nitin Nabin at the BJP headquarters.
BJP Gains Key Faces
IMAGE: Raghav Chadha leaves the BJP headquarters after meeting Nitin Nabin, here and below.
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff
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