Ahmedabad Times

NEW DELHI: The Arvind Kejriwal-led occasion on Friday suffered considered one of its largest inner jolts, as Raghav Chadhaonce its rising star and Kejriwal’s blue-eyed boy, led an enormous Rajya Sabha exodus to the Bharatiya Janata Occasion.The murmurs of dissent from Raghav Chadha exploded right into a full-blown revolt. Chadha did not simply stroll away, he took with him a big chunk of AAP’s power within the Rajya Sabha, dragging the occasion into one of many gravest crises since its beginning in 2012.The “ghayal” Raghav Chadha revolt has left the AAP “ghayal.”The cracks, lengthy hidden beneath the floor, burst into the open after Chadha was eliminated as deputy chief within the Higher Home, a submit handed to Ashok Mittal, who has now additionally joined the revolt.

The fastest-growing political startup, which shaped three consecutive governments in Delhi, together with two with historic mandates, and later swept to energy in Punjab inside simply 15 years of its formation, is now going through inner dissent. Its personal leaders are brazenly questioning “Kejriwal’s model of politics” and accusing it of drifting away from “sincere politics” in a tone of revolt.What lies subsequent for AAP?

The exodus options a number of high-profile names, together with Swati Maliwal, who had already drifted away from the occasion after alleging a bodily assault by Bibhav Kumar at then-chief minister Kejriwal’s official residence in 2024.Becoming a member of the breakaway group are cricketer-turned-Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh, together with Sandeep Pathak, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikramjit Singh Sahney, names that add weight and visibility to the revolt.

Standing earlier than the media, Chadha delivered a stinging parting shot, calling himself the “proper man within the flawed occasion,” earlier than formally crossing over to the BJP at its headquarters in New Delhi.

However the true blow lies within the numbers. In a surprising present of power, six different AAP MPs, taking the tally to seven out of the occasion’s whole 10 within the Rajya Sabha, have sided with Chadha. For AAP, this isn’t only a revolt; it’s a near-decimation of its presence within the Higher Home.Saying the transfer, Chadha stated two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha MPs had determined to merge with the BJP.“We’ve got determined that we, the two/third members belonging to the AAP in Rajya Sabha, train the provisions of the Structure of India and merge ourselves with the BJP,” he stated at a press convention alongside Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal on the Structure Membership.Explaining his resolution, Chadha accused the occasion of straying from its founding beliefs.“The AAP, which I nurtured with my blood and sweat, and gave 15 years of my youth to, has deviated from its ideas, values and core morals. Now this occasion doesn’t work within the curiosity of the nation however for its private advantages…For the previous few years, I might really feel that I’m the suitable man within the flawed occasion. So, at present, we announce that I’m distancing myself from the AAP and getting near the general public,” he stated.

In the meantime, Kejriwal reacted instantly, suggesting the transfer was orchestrated by the BJP, and stated, “The BJP has betrayed Punjabis once more.”

The irony is difficult to overlook. A celebration born out of Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption motion, which as soon as promised to upend “conventional” politics with a mannequin of “new politics,” now finds itself accused by its personal leaders of abandoning these very beliefs.The outsider that challenged the system is now battling a revolt from inside, one which threatens to shake its very foundations.

Not very way back, the Delhi debacle struck the Kejriwal brigade by the hands of the BJP, majorly denting AAP’s nationwide standing and affect.Lowered to governing solely Punjab underneath chief minister Bhagwant Mann and with a restricted presence in Parliament, AAP was already on the again foot. Friday’s revolt has additional eroded its power within the Rajya Sabha, deepening the disaster.In 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the AAP secured simply 3 seats in Punjab. Now with the revised Rajya Sabha tally, AAP is left with whole 6 MPs to voice its issues in Parliament.

The dual blows of 2025 and 2026, first the Delhi defeat and now this main exodus, have pushed AAP into what could possibly be its most weak section but.Rising from an anti-corruption wave, AAP positioned itself as a disruptor, difficult the Congress institution on the Centre underneath Manmohan Singh and in Delhi underneath long-time chief minister Sheila Dikshit.In its first electoral battle, AAP surprised the political class. Kejriwal unseated Sheila Dikshit, ending her 15-year rule and defeating her within the New Delhi constituency. What adopted was a meteoric rise — 67 out of 70 seats in 2015 and 62 in 2020.However by 2025, the tide had turned. The BJP stormed again into Delhi after over two-decades of dry, slashing AAP’s tally dangerously to 22 seats and appointing Rekha Gupta because the chief minister.

Saying his exit, Chadha completely set himself within the BJP’s narrative to focus on his former boss Kejriwal, accusing AAP of prioritising “private advantages” over “nationwide curiosity.” His departure, and the size of assist behind him, has amplified these expenses.Through the years, AAP’s high management, together with Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singhand Satyendra Jain, confronted scrutiny from businesses just like the ED and CBI. Jail phrases and investigations, whilst some instances later weakened in courtroom, dented the occasion’s anti-corruption picture.Curiously, Chadha largely stayed away from these controversies. Even throughout Kejriwal’s time in jail and subsequent reduction, he maintained a noticeable distance—fueling hypothesis of a widening inner rift.After the exit of Raghav Chadha and different insurgent MPs from the Aam Aadmi Occasionoccasion’s chief in Rajya Sabha Sanjay Singh led the cost and mounted a fierce assault on the BJP, alleging a coordinated effort to weaken and destabilise the occasion via central businesses such because the ED and CBI.

Responding strongly to the developments, Singh stated, “Bharatiya Janata Occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and residential minister Amit Shah have begun their ‘Operation Lotus’ to cease the great work of Punjab’s Bhagwant Mann Authorities. 7 AAP Rajya Sabha MPs are becoming a member of the BJP. The individuals of Punjab ought to bear in mind these 7 names. These ‘traitors’ of Punjab would by no means be forgiven by the individuals.”

The main target now shifts to Punjab.Chadha performed a key position in AAP’s 2022 build-up to landslide victory, serving to the occasion leap from 20 seats in 2017 to 92 out of 117. The victory ousted the Congress authorities led by Charanjit Singh Channi and established AAP’s second full-fledged authorities after Delhi.

Now, with Chadha and several other Punjab-linked MPs exiting, cracks could start to point out.In the meantime, chief minister and Kejriwal loyalist Bhagwant Mann has hit again strongly, calling the departing leaders “traitors” and dismissing their prospects within the BJP. He additionally accused the BJP of trying to develop its footprint in Punjab via defections.But, the political equations are shifting. With Congress nonetheless the principal opposition and the BJP now bolstered by former AAP faces, the competition might intensify.There’s a sure political irony at play.Simply as AAP as soon as rose by dislodging Congress, from Delhi in 2013 to Punjab in 2022, the BJP has now toppled AAP in Delhi.The query now lingers: is Punjab subsequent for the BJP?