Why Sandeep Pathak’s Exit Is A Bigger Shock To AAP Than Raghav Chadha’s

Sandeep Pathak was more than a Member of Parliament. He was part of AAP’s inner circle and decision-making system.

MP Sandeep Pathak joined BJP on April 24. (Photo: PTI)

The exit of seven Rajya Sabha MPs has shaken the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), but within the party, one exit is being seen as more damaging than the others. While Raghav Chadha’s move to BJP affects the party’s public image, Sandeep Pathak’s exit is viewed as a deeper organisational blow.

Sandeep Pathak: ‘Mastermind’ behind AAP’s Punjab success

Sandeep Pathak was not a high-profile political face. Instead, he worked largely behind the scenes. Party insiders describe him as a “silent mastermind” who played a central role in building AAP’s strategy in Punjab.

He is widely credited with shaping the party’s data-driven ground campaign that led to its victory in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections. His focus on surveys, planning and booth-level execution helped AAP establish a strong base in the state, which remains one of its most important strongholds.

Because of this, his departure weakens not just leadership numbers, but the party’s strategic core.

Not just an MP

Pathak was more than a Member of Parliament. He was part of AAP’s inner circle and decision-making system. Appointed national general secretary in 2022, he was also a member of the political affairs committee, the party’s highest decision-making body.

His journey in the party began in 2016. He worked with the Delhi Dialogue Commission alongside Ashish Khetan, and later gained the trust of Arvind Kejriwal through his work on electoral surveys in Punjab and Gujarat.

His proximity to the leadership was clear. According to party sources, he was among the few people allowed to meet Kejriwal in jail, along with Sunita Kejriwal and Bibhav Kumar.

Unexpected exit

Unlike some other leaders, Pathak’s exit was not widely anticipated. Party leaders said that friction between Raghav Chadha and the leadership had been visible for some time. Similarly, Swati Maliwal had also fallen out with the leadership.

In contrast, Pathak remained closely involved in the party’s core functioning. His sudden move came as a surprise and caused deeper concern internally.

A party functionary described him as an “outlier”, noting that he had been part of AAP’s core group since at least 2018 and was not just another MP.

The exits of other MPs have been explained differently within the party. Ashok Mittal’s departure came after Enforcement Directorate raids at his home and business premises. Others, such as Harbhajan Singh, Vikram Sahney and Rajinder Gupta, were not seen as very active in party work.

Some of these leaders also had limited links to AAP’s early roots in the India Against Corruption movement. Their nominations to the Rajya Sabha had earlier drawn criticism, with concerns that they could be more vulnerable to pressure from rival parties.

In this context, Pathak’s departure stands apart. He was deeply embedded in the party’s organisational structure and long-term planning.

Within AAP, there is a clear distinction being made between the impact of different exits. Raghav Chadha, a prominent public figure and once seen as a close aide of Arvind Kejriwal, affects the party’s image and visibility.

However, Pathak’s role was less visible but more structural. His work influenced how the party functioned on the ground, especially in Punjab.

This has led to a common assessment within party circles: Chadha’s exit damages AAP’s image, while Pathak’s exit weakens its machinery.

Defection and political fallout

The exits were formally announced at a press conference, where Raghav Chadha said that two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha members had decided to merge with the BJP under constitutional provisions. Along with Chadha and Pathak, the group included Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikram Sahney and Swati Maliwal.

The development has intensified political tensions and raised questions about loyalty and ideological consistency within the party.

AAP sources have suggested that Pathak’s move may be linked to his personal background, noting that his father is associated with the BJP in Chhattisgarh.

In the end, the difference lies in roles. Chadha was a public face who helped shape the party’s narrative. Pathak, on the other hand, helped build the system behind that narrative.

His exit removes a key strategist at a time when AAP is relying heavily on its organisational strength, particularly in Punjab. That is why, within the party, his departure is being seen not just as another defection, but as a loss that strikes at its core.

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