Rajya Sabha MPs Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal and Sandeep Pathak, who resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of party chief Nitin Nabin in Delhi on Friday (April 24). The remaining four MPs, former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, Swati Maliwal, Rajinder Gupta and Vikram Sahney, will join the BJP later.&nbsp;Nabin welcomed the leaders and marked the occasion by distributing sweets as they formally entered the party &nbsp;The development comes as over two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha MPs announced their decision to merge with the BJP, effectively bypassing disqualification under the anti-defection law.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Delhi: Rajya Sabha MPs Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal meet BJP National President Nitin Nabin at the party headquarters 2/3rd MPs of AAP in the Rajya Sabha announced merging with the BJP. <a href="https://t.co/cRLnmOQRFZ">pic.twitter.com/cRLnmOQRFZ</a>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/2047650136457965848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-operation-lotus-is-being-played-aap-s-sanjay-singh-hits-out-at-bjp-after-raghav-chadha-7-other-aap-mps-join-bjp-1777033170002">'Operation Lotus is being played': AAP's Sanjay Singh hits out at BJP after Raghav Chadha, 7 other AAP MPs join BJP</a>&nbsp;Chadha, once among AAP’s most prominent faces, said the party had “completely deviated from its principles, values, and core morals”. “The party is no longer working in the national interest but for personal gain,” he said while addressing a joint press conference with Pathak and Mittal.&nbsp;The shift has significantly altered AAP’s strength in the Upper House. With seven out of its 10 Rajya Sabha MPs backing Chadha’s move, only Sanjay Singh, Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal and N Gupta remain with the party.&nbsp;Sources indicated that other MPs, including former cricketer Harbhajan Singh and Rajinder Gupta, are also set to support the switch. The two-thirds threshold protects the defecting MPs from disqualification under existing parliamentary rules.&nbsp;<h2>AAP leadership hits back</h2>AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal reacted sharply, stating that the BJP had “once again given Punjabis a shove”. Meanwhile, Sanjay Singh accused the BJP of running “Operation Lotus” to destabilise the party and obstruct governance in Punjab.&nbsp;Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called the defecting leaders “traitors” and said they no longer represent the people of the state. “The BJP finishes every party it aligns with. The people of Punjab stand firmly with us,” Mann said, asserting that the move would not impact his government’s development agenda.&nbsp;The meeting between Chadha and Nabin at the BJP headquarters marks a decisive moment in the ongoing political churn, with national implications for both AAP and the BJP.

The Rajya Sabha MPs formally entered the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of party chief Nitin Nabin at the headquarters in Delhi. Nabin welcomed them with bouquets and distributed sweets.

Rajya Sabha MPs Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal and Sandeep Pathak, who resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of party chief Nitin Nabin in Delhi on Friday (April 24). The remaining four MPs, former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, Swati Maliwal, Rajinder Gupta and Vikram Sahney, will join the BJP later. Nabin welcomed the leaders and marked the occasion by distributing sweets as they formally entered the party The development comes as over two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha MPs announced their decision to merge with the BJP, effectively bypassing disqualification under the anti-defection law.

The Rajya Sabha MPs formally entered the Bharatiya Janata Party in the presence of party chief Nitin Nabin at the headquarters in Delhi. Nabin welcomed them with bouquets and distributed sweets.

Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal formally join BJP after quitting AAP

The political dispute surrounding Chhath Puja in Delhi intensified on Sunday (October 26) as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Delhi government for allegedly constructing a ‘artificial Yamuna’ at Vasudev Ghat with filtered water. The area is set to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the festivities. AAP's Saurabh Bhardwaj claimed the BJP had secretly filled a small stream at the ghat with water from the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant, which provides drinking water to the city. He accused the party of attempting to mislead the public, particularly those from Delhi, Bihar, and Purvanchal, by presenting a cleaned-up version of the Yamuna as part of a political stunt.&nbsp;In response, AAP released a video showing that other ghats, in contrast, still had heavily polluted water, presenting health risks for devotees. Former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal took to social media, condemning the BJP for undermining the religious significance of Chhath Puja. Leader of Opposition, Atishi, labeled the situation as ‘blatant discrimination’.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/-first-fruit-of-modi-xi-diplomacy-india-china-direct-flights-resume-after-five-years-of-suspension-all-you-need-to-know-1761532275560">‘First fruit’ of Modi-Xi diplomacy: India-China direct flights resume after five years of suspension. All you need to know</a>&nbsp;However, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva rejected the charges, accusing AAP of engaging in political theatrics. He pointed out that the AAP government had banned Chhath Puja celebrations on the Yamuna banks between 2018 and 2024. According to him, the current BJP government had made substantial progress in cleaning the river and had made the ghats safer for devotees. Sachdeva further questioned why AAP opposed efforts to clean the river, arguing that it was unprecedented for an opposition party to oppose sanitation initiatives.&nbsp;The controversy has taken on added significance due to its ties to Delhi's Purvanchal community, a key voter base of about four million people. AAP also accused the BJP of using chemicals like ‘defoamer solutions’, which the BJP had criticised when it was in opposition, and raised concerns about harmful bacteria levels in the river.The clash between AAP and BJP highlights the increasing political stakes in Delhi, with both parties attempting to position themselves as the true champions of the Purvanchal community and their cultural practices.

AAP, BJP lock horns over ‘artificial Yamuna’ setup ahead of PM Modi’s Chhath Puja in Delhi

The political dispute surrounding Chhath Puja in Delhi intensified on Sunday (October 26) as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Delhi government for allegedly constructing a ‘artificial Yamuna’ at Vasudev Ghat with filtered water. The area is set to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the festivities. AAP's Saurabh Bhardwaj claimed the BJP had secretly filled a small stream at the ghat with water from the Wazirabad Water Treatment Plant, which provides drinking water to the city. He accused the party of attempting to mislead the public, particularly those from Delhi, Bihar, and Purvanchal, by presenting a cleaned-up version of the Yamuna as part of a political stunt. In response, AAP released a video showing that other ghats, in contrast, still had heavily polluted water, presenting health risks for devotees. Former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal took to social media, condemning the BJP for undermining the religious significance of Chhath Puja. Leader of Opposition, Atishi, labeled the situation as ‘blatant discrimination’. Also Read: ‘First fruit’ of Modi-Xi diplomacy: India-China direct flights resume after five years of suspension. All you need to know However, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva rejected the charges, accusing AAP of engaging in political theatrics. He pointed out that the AAP government had banned Chhath Puja celebrations on the Yamuna banks between 2018 and 2024. According to him, the current BJP government had made substantial progress in cleaning the river and had made the ghats safer for devotees. Sachdeva further questioned why AAP opposed efforts to clean the river, arguing that it was unprecedented for an opposition party to oppose sanitation initiatives. The controversy has taken on added significance due to its ties to Delhi's Purvanchal community, a key voter base of about four million people. AAP also accused the BJP of using chemicals like ‘defoamer solutions’, which the BJP had criticised when it was in opposition, and raised concerns about harmful bacteria levels in the river.The clash between AAP and BJP highlights the increasing political stakes in Delhi, with both parties attempting to position themselves as the true champions of the Purvanchal community and their cultural practices.

AAP accuses BJP of creating a ‘fake Yamuna’ with filtered water for Chhath Puja, while the BJP defends cleanliness efforts. The controversy fuels political tensions

AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP of attempting to poach his party candidates ahead of the Delhi Assembly poll results on 8 February. Watch this report for more details!

Delhi Elections 2025: Arvind Kejriwal claims 'poaching attempt' by BJP

Voting concluded for the high-stakes Delhi Assembly elections on Wednesday, with a voter turnout of 57.70 percent, sealing the fate of 699 candidates.

Delhi Elections 2025: Voting ends, 57.70% voter turnout recorded

In a major setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ahead of the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025, seven sitting MLAs resigned from the party on Friday. The resignations come just four days before the crucial state polls.

Delhi Assembly Elections: 7 MLAs quit AAP, denied tickets

As the Delhi Assembly election nears, AAP and BJP clash over Yamuna pollution, with accusations of sabotage and counterclaims. Watch this report for more details!

Delhi Assembly Elections: Arvind Kejriwal accuses Haryana govt of poisoning river Yamuna

As the Delhi elections approach, the political battle between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has taken centre stage on social media. Both parties have been using posters and videos to criticise each other. Watch this report for more details!

Delhi Elections: AAP vs BJP poster war intensifies

There has been an uproar in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi regarding the election of the permanent committee of MCD. There is news of scuffle between the councilors of BJP and Aam Aadmi Party. AAP councilors have started protesting in protest.

Delhi Mayor Election: AAP-BJP councilors clash

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