The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has been dealt a massive blow after seven of its Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha, announced their decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The move has sparked a political crisis in the run-up to the assembly elections in Punjab, with the AAP's leader in the Rajya Sabha, Sanjay Singh, vowing to move to disqualify the defectors.
The seven MPs, who include Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, and Swati Maliwal, met BJP chief Nitin Nabin and joined the party, citing their desire to work more closely with the 'janata' (public).
The AAP has accused the BJP of conspiring to weaken the party, with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann vowing to give the BJP a 'befitting reply' in the upcoming elections.
The move has also sparked speculation about the future of the AAP in Punjab, with the party's 50 MLAs potentially joining the BJP in the future.
