New Delhi erupted in political drama on April 24 as Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha contingent suffered a seismic split. Raghav Chadha, along with six other MPs including Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal, dramatically quit AAP and pledged allegiance to the BJP, dealing a body blow to Kejriwal’s outfit.
Reacting swiftly, Arvind Kejriwal fired off a blistering attack on social media. ‘BJP has pushed Punjabis around again,’ he posted on X, framing the defections as a direct assault on Punjab’s interests. The statement resonated deeply, given AAP’s strong roots in the state.
Fellow AAP MP Sanjay Singh amplified the outrage, accusing Amit Shah of masterminding ‘Operation Lotus’ to fracture the party. ‘The people of Punjab and AAP gave these seven MPs their mandate with love; now, betrayal awaits punishment,’ Singh warned, hinting at voter backlash in upcoming polls.
Anurag Dhanda, another vocal AAP figure, dissected the defectors’ motives. Drawing parallels to freedom fighters who refused compromise, he said, ‘These MPs have revealed their true character by joining BJP. Punjab’s government under AAP is thriving, prompting BJP’s panic-driven poaching via ED-CBI threats.’
Chadha, fronting the rebellion, held a presser blasting AAP for abandoning its core ideals. ‘Over two-thirds of our 10 Rajya Sabha MPs stand with us. We’ve handed over all signed resignations to the Chairman today,’ he revealed, signaling a formal shift in allegiances.
The defections underscore BJP’s aggressive expansion strategy, often dubbed ‘Operation Lotus’ by critics, which has repeatedly toppled state governments. For AAP, this is a humiliating reversal, especially after touting anti-defection credentials. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s administration, credited with robust reforms, now faces amplified opposition narratives. As dust settles, questions loom over AAP’s unity and BJP’s upper house dominance.
