In a notable political shift, seven Rajya Sabha MPs from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), including Raghav Chadha, have announced their departure to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This group, which also includes Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Kumar Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, and Swati Maliwal, constitutes over two-thirds of AAP's representation in the Upper House. They have submitted documentation to the Rajya Sabha Chairman to seek recognition for a merger under the Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, which would allow them to transition to the BJP without facing disqualification. Chadha expressed that the decision stemmed from ideological differences, claiming that AAP has strayed from its foundational principles and that he had distanced himself from party activities over the past year. The group has also engaged with senior BJP leaders in New Delhi, indicating a formal alignment that could enhance the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's standing in the Rajya Sabha. In response, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP of poaching party leaders, while MP Sanjay Singh stated that AAP would pursue disqualification of the defecting members if the merger is not approved.