The merger of seven Rajya Sabha MPs from the Aam Aadmi Party into the Bharatiya Janata Party is expected to receive formal approval, with sources indicating that the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha may clear the process after all procedural requirements have been completed.
This development follows a major political shift in which seven AAP MPs — Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Swati Maliwal, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikramjit Sahney — resigned from the party and announced their decision to join the BJP as a group. The scale of the exit has significantly altered the balance of representation in the Rajya Sabha and created political ripples ahead of future elections.
The move has been widely viewed as a setback for the AAP, particularly with the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled for 2027. In response, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann strongly criticised the defecting MPs, calling them “traitors” and accusing the BJP of attempting to weaken his party. He alleged that the move was part of a broader political strategy to undermine AAP’s position in Punjab and mislead voters.
Mann dismissed concerns about the long-term impact of the defections, arguing that the departing MPs were not mass leaders and lacked grassroots support. He maintained that the party’s core strength remained intact and expressed confidence that the AAP would continue to perform strongly in the upcoming elections.
The Chief Minister also accused the BJP of conducting what he described as “Operation Lotus,” alleging that central agencies were being used to pressure and influence opposition leaders. In a direct challenge, he invited investigative agencies to examine his own conduct, asserting that he had nothing to hide.
Meanwhile, opposition parties have interpreted the mass resignation differently. Leaders from the Shiromani Akali Dal, including Daljit Singh Cheema, argued that the departure of such a large number of MPs reflects deeper internal issues within the AAP, including a disconnect between the leadership and party members.
Overall, the expected approval of the merger formalises a significant political realignment in Parliament and is likely to influence the political narrative in Punjab and beyond, especially as parties prepare for upcoming electoral contests.
