NEW DELHI – In a seismic shift that has fundamentally altered the political landscape of the Upper House, seven Rajya Sabha members from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have officially merged with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Rajya Sabha Secretariat confirmed the move on Monday, April 27, 2026, marking one of the most significant mass defections in recent parliamentary history.
The Arithmetic of the Merger
The merger, approved by Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan, has decimated AAP’s presence in the House while significantly bolstering the BJP’s legislative dominance. Because seven out of the party’s ten members joined the move, the group satisfies the two-thirds constitutional requirement, legally shielding them from the immediate threat of disqualification under the Anti-Defection Law.
The Seven MPs joining the BJP are:
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Raghav Chadha
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Sandeep Pathak
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Swati Maliwal
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Harbhajan Singh
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Ashok Kumar Mittal
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Rajinder Gupta
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Vikramjit Singh Sahney
Shift in House Dynamics
The BJP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha has now surged from 106 to 113, bringing the party closer to an absolute majority. Conversely, AAP, which held a double-digit presence, has been reduced to just 3 members.
| Party | Previous Seats | Current Seats | Change |
| BJP | 106 | 113 | +7 |
| AAP | 10 | 3 | -7 |
Accusations and Ideological Rifts
Sources indicate that the seven MPs submitted a formal letter to the Chairman on Friday, requesting to be recognized as part of the BJP. The defecting leaders reportedly cited a “deviation from core principles” and internal dissatisfaction with AAP’s current leadership as the primary reasons for their departure.
In response, AAP leader Sanjay Singh filed a petition on Sunday seeking the immediate disqualification of the members, accusing them of betraying the public mandate. “This is a direct assault on democracy,” Singh stated, urging the Secretariat to review the legality of the switch.
Government Response
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju welcomed the new members via social media, praising their decorum and past contributions to parliamentary debate.
“I have observed these members for a long time. They have always maintained dignified conduct and never resorted to unparliamentary language. We welcome them into the NDA fold as we work together toward nation-building under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi,” Rijiju posted on X.
As of Monday afternoon, the official Parliamentary website has been updated, listing all seven leaders as members of the BJP Parliamentary Party. This shift is expected to grant the government a much smoother path for passing key legislation in the upcoming sessions.
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