Launching a blistering attack on defectors, senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Friday termed the exit of Raghav Chadha and six other MPs as a “betrayal” of the people of Punjab, accusing them of “stabbing voters in the back” by joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). 

“Today, seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs have joined the BJP. The people of Punjab should remember these seven names. They will never forgive those who have betrayed them,” Singh said at a press conference, framing the development as a direct affront to the public mandate. 

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He emphasised that the party and the people of Punjab had elevated these leaders to national prominence. “The party made Raghav Chadha an MLA and an MP. What did the people of Punjab not give him? How much love did they show by sending him to the Rajya Sabha?” Singh said, adding that several others were similarly nurtured by the party before their sudden exit.

‘From grassroots to Parliament, then defection’ 

Singh underscored that many of the departing MPs were given opportunities by AAP that propelled them to national politics. He pointed out that: 

• Sandeep Pathak was entrusted with major organisational responsibilities 
• Swati Maliwal and others rose from grassroots activism to Parliament 
• Even Harbhajan Singh was given a political platform through AAP 

“They have betrayed the people of Punjab and worked to obstruct a government that was serving the people,” Singh alleged, suggesting a larger political motive behind the defections. 

Blow to AAP’s national ambitions 

Chadha’s exit carries particular weight. Considered one of AAP’s most prominent national faces and a close associate of Arvind Kejriwal, his departure signals turbulence within the party’s top ranks. 

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The development comes at a critical juncture when AAP has been attempting to expand beyond Delhi and Punjab. The loss of multiple Rajya Sabha MPs in one sweep could: 

• Weaken its legislative influence at the Centre 
• Dent its image as a cohesive national alternative 
• Trigger further internal churn 

Coordinated exit that shakes AAP 

The political shock deepened as it emerged that Chadha was not alone. Along with him, six other AAP Rajya Sabha MPs — Sandeep Pathak, Swati Maliwal, Harbhajan Singh, Ashok Mittal, Vikram Sahney and Rajendra Gupta — have also crossed over to the BJP. 

The scale of the defection marks one of the most significant setbacks for AAP in Parliament, sharply reducing its presence in the Rajya Sabha and raising concerns about internal stability. 

BJP gains as AAP scrambles to respond 

For the BJP, the entry of seven sitting MPs is both a symbolic and strategic boost, especially as it looks to expand its footprint in Punjab. AAP, meanwhile, faces immediate political and organisational challenges — containing the fallout, reassuring its cadre, and preventing further exits. 

Published on: Apr 24, 2026 5:02 PM IST