In a dramatic turn of events that has rocked the Aam Aadmi Party, star parliamentarian Raghav Chadha, along with fellow Rajya Sabha members Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal, resigned from the party on Friday and formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. The move delivers a body blow to AAP’s ambitions at a time when internal discord has been simmering.
Addressing a press conference, Chadha didn’t hold back. He accused AAP of deviating from its founding ideals, stating, ‘The party I devoted 15 years to has become a vehicle for personal ambitions rather than national interest.’ He reminisced about the collective hard work that propelled AAP’s growth in multiple states, now overshadowed by what he called a complete betrayal of ethos.
Chadha’s admiration for PM Modi’s governance was unequivocal. ‘Over 12 years, the BJP-led government has made fearless decisions that transformed India. With public mandate secured thrice, we’re proud to contribute under this visionary leadership.’
Dropping bigger hints of a wider rebellion, Chadha revealed that more than two-thirds of AAP’s 10 Rajya Sabha MPs back the move. ‘Resignation papers with signatures have been handed to the Chairman today. Celebrities like Harbhajan Singh and activists such as Swati Maliwal are on board—we’ll release the complete roster shortly.’
Pathak, sharing his humble origins, said, ‘From a farmer’s son facing tough odds to public life, my dream was always nation-building. This painful but necessary step ends my AAP journey.’
The resignations come amid AAP’s struggles with governance issues and electoral setbacks. For BJP, it’s a strategic coup, bolstering its Rajya Sabha numbers and poaching from a key rival. Political analysts predict this could reshape opposition dynamics ahead of future polls, with Chadha’s charisma adding firepower to BJP’s narrative.
