The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is facing its biggest crisis yet after seven out of its 10 Rajya Sabha members resigned, plunging the party into turmoil. The resignations have raised questions about the party's stability and its ability to maintain its national footprint.
The group of seven lawmakers includes six from Punjab and one from Delhi, and is led by Raghav Chadha, a founding member of the AAP and a close associate of party chief Arvind Kejriwal. The resignations come at a critical time, with elections in Punjab due in early 2027.
The AAP has suffered many defections in the past, but this is the first time the party has faced a rebellion of this scale. The resignations will have implications for the national Opposition and the government's legislative agenda, as the National Democratic Alliance will be close to a two-thirds majority in the Upper House.
Kejriwal, who attended Chadha's wedding two years ago, has been dealt a personal setback. The party's already modest national parliamentary presence will be sharply reduced, and the party will have a diminished presence in the national Opposition.
The biggest shocker was the resignation of Sandeep Pathak, the national general secretary (organisation) and the brain behind expanding the party nationally. His exit dents the party at a time when it is eyeing a second term in Punjab.
The party retains a strong grassroots network and governance record in sectors such as education, health, and welfare schemes. However, the departure of key figures such as Chadha and Pathak weakens the party's second line at a time when it is struggling to mount a comeback in the national capital.
The party leaders blamed the AAP's choice of Rajya Sabha members, saying that outsiders were given preference over dedicated workers. A ruling AAP leader admitted that the choice of candidates for the Upper House had caused disquiet in the party.
