On April 25, 2026, it was reported that April 24, 2026, marked a dark chapter for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, along with six other MPs, officially parted ways with AAP.
Alongside Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Swati Maliwal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikramjeet Sahni also left the party to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This is considered the largest split since the party's formation in 2012. The departure of these MPs has not only diminished the party's strength in the Rajya Sabha but has also raised serious questions about Arvind Kejriwal's leadership.
The party, which emerged from the anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare, has lost several prominent figures over the past 14 years. Founding members Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav distanced themselves in 2015 by questioning the party's internal democracy and funding. Subsequently, leaders like Shazia Ilmi, Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh, and Kapil Mishra also left one by one.
Some accused the party of authoritarianism, while others cited a deviation from ideology. The recent events have proven that discontent, which began with the founding members, has now reached the most trusted allies of the current leadership. The main argument from the departing leaders has often been the lack of self-rule within the party and a centralized power structure.
While Yogendra Yadav described the functioning as 'similar to old parties', Raghav Chadha and the other MPs' move to the BJP indicates a significant internal conflict between the party's power in Punjab and Delhi. The party, which emerged from the anti-corruption movement, is now struggling to protect itself from the collapse of its own strong pillars. Political analysts believe that after such a significant split, it will be a major challenge for AAP to maintain its credibility in the upcoming elections.
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