Raghav Chadha, 6 Others Quit AAP: A look at the senior leaders who left the Arvind Kejriwal-led party over the years.
AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal with Raghav Chadha (left). (PTI File)
Raghav Chadha, along with six MPs, including Ashok Mittal and Sandeep Pathak, on Friday joined the list of senior leaders who quit the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Pathak said he was going to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, Chadha said that nearly two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha MPs have quit the party and will join the BJP as a faction. Chadha said several Rajya Sabha MPs including disgruntled party leader Swati Maliwal and Harbhajan Singh have also quit AAP. The three claimed that seven out of 10 Rajya Sabha MPs of AAP have quit the party.
A look at the senior leaders who left the party over the years.
The rift between Raghav Chadha and AAP
Chadha’s move came after the AAP removed him from the Rajya Sabha deputy leader post. Reports indicated that there has been tension between Chadha and the AAP leadership for a while.
Raghav Chadha News Live Updates HERE
He was absent from key party events and campaigning, and was removed from his role as in-charge of Punjab. Some within the party felt his focus on specific public issues (like gig workers, airport food prices) was designed to boost his personal profile over the party’s agenda.
AAP leaders accused him of not supporting the party during crucial times, such as the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case. There were accusations of him overstepping in the Punjab government’s affairs.
Before Chadha, who all left AAP from 2012 to 2026
Founding Members & Early Pillars
- Yogendra Yadav & Prashant Bhushan: Founding members expelled in 2015 for alleged “anti-party activities” after questioning internal democracy.
- Shazia Ilmi: A key early face who quit in 2014 and later joined the BJP.
- Ashutosh: Former journalist and PAC member who resigned in 2018 citing personal reasons.
- Kumar Vishwas: A founding member and popular orator who fell out with the leadership and eventually distanced himself from party activities.
Ministers & Legislative Leaders
- Kailash Gahlot: Senior Delhi Minister who resigned from the party and cabinet.
- Raaj Kumar Anand: Delhi Social Welfare Minister who quit in 2024.
- Satyendar Jain: Former Delhi Health Minister; though he remained in the party for a long time during legal battles, he lost his seat in the 2025 assembly elections.
- Amit Palekar: Former Goa state unit chief who resigned in early 2026 following poor election results.
Recent Mass Defections (2025-2026)
- 8 MLAs in Delhi (2025): Just days before the February 2025 elections, 8 sitting MLAs (including Girish Soni, Rajesh Rishi, and Bhavna Gaur) resigned after being denied tickets.
- 15 MCD Councillors (2025): Led by veteran leader Mukesh Kumar Goel, 15 councillors resigned in May 2025 to form the Indraprastha Vikas Party.
With PTI inputs
April 24, 2026, 16:01 IST
Read More
