Rajya Sabha Accepts 7 AAP MPs’ BJP Merger
Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan has accepted the merger of seven Aam Aadmi Party MPs with the Bharatiya Janata Party, delivering a major setback to AAP and changing the party position in the Upper House.
Rajya Sabha Accepts AAP MPs’ Merger With BJP
The updated Rajya Sabha party position showed the seven MPs as part of the BJP after the Chairman took cognisance of their request for merger. The move followed a letter submitted by the MPs claiming that more than two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha strength had decided to merge with the BJP.
Before the shift, AAP had 10 members in the Upper House. With seven MPs moving, the party’s Rajya Sabha strength has now fallen to three.
BJP Strength Rises In Upper House
The BJP’s tally in the Rajya Sabha has increased from 106 to 113 after the merger. The development also strengthens the ruling NDA’s position in the Upper House, where numbers are crucial for passing major legislation.
The MPs involved in the merger include Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajendra Gupta, Vikram Sahney and Swati Maliwal.
AAP Plans Legal Challenge
AAP has strongly opposed the move and had earlier submitted a petition seeking the disqualification of the seven MPs under the anti-defection law. AAP leader Sanjay Singh argued that the MPs were elected on AAP tickets and should not be allowed to retain membership after joining another party.
The party is expected to explore legal and constitutional options after the Chairman’s decision. The BJP has described the merger as a sign of internal collapse within AAP, while AAP has called it a betrayal of the public mandate.
