Seven AAP MPs including Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal officially part of BJP as Rajya Sabha chair accepts merger

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan on Monday accepted the merger petition of seven AAP MPs with BJP. The seven MPs are Raghav Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Sandeep Pathak, Vikramjit Sahney, Swati Maliwal and Rajinder Gupta.

The Rajya Sabha website on Monday listed these seven MPs as BJP members, taking the party's strength in the House from 106 to 113. Similarly, AAP's strength has reduced from 10 to three.

The seven MPs had petitioned the Rajya Sabha chairman on Friday to be treated as BJP MPs after announcing their merger with BJP.


Union parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju welcomed the seven MPs into BJP. "Hon'ble Chairman Rajya Sabha CP Radhakrishnanji has accepted the merger of 7 AAP MPs with BJP. Now, Raghav Chadhaji, Sandeep Pathakji, Ashok Mittalji, Harbhajan Singhji, Swati Maliwalji, Rajinder Guptaji and Vikramjit Singh Sahneyji are members of BJP Parliamentary Party," Rijiju posted on X. "For a long time, I have observed that these seven Hon'ble MPs have not resorted to abusive language and never created any indiscipline or Un-parliamentary conduct. Welcome to nation building NDA under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and goodbye to Tukde-Tukde INDI alliance."

AAP has reiterated that the merger of the seven MPs is unconstitutional and had earlier moved a petition before the Chairman seeking termination of their membership.

Following the Chairman's decision, AAP floor leader in the Rajya Sabha, Sanjay Singh, on Monday wrote to the secretary general of the Rajya Sabha seeking immediate clarification regarding the alleged unauthorised alteration of the party's position in official records. He also requested an immediate inquiry into the matter and a written response at the earliest, along with copies of all relevant orders, directions or communications on the basis of which the AAP's position was altered.