Former Indian cricketer and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh is reportedly set to officially join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The move is expected to be made on Friday, 24 April 2026, and is part of a significant political shift that saw seven of AAP’s 10 Rajya Sabha members defecting to the ruling party in a coordinated merger. Raghav Chadha Joins BJP; Says AAP ‘Deeply Trapped in the Hands of Corrupt Individuals’ (Watch Videos).

A Coordinated Parliamentary Split

The transition was led by senior leader Raghav Chadha, who announced the merger during a press conference in the capital alongside fellow MPs Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal. Chadha stated that the group represents more than two-thirds of AAP’s strength in the Upper House, a specific threshold that allows them to merge with the BJP without facing disqualification under India’s anti-defection laws.

 Raghav Chadha Announces Split

Harbhajan Singh To Join BJP?

The defecting group reportedly includes several high-profile figures, including Harbhajan Singh, along with Raghav Chadha, Swati Maliwal, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Rajinder Gupta, and Vikram Sahney. The MPs have reportedly submitted the necessary signed documentation to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to formalise their new affiliation.

During the briefing, Raghav Chadha cited a sense of 'suffocation' and a lack of opportunity to serve the public within AAP as the primary reasons for the split. He described himself as the 'right man in the wrong party,' suggesting that the organisation he helped found over a decade ago had deviated from its original principles of honest politics.

Harbhajan Singh's Political History

Harbhajan Singh’s political journey began in March 2022, when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) nominated the legendary off-spinner to the Rajya Sabha following their landslide victory in Punjab. Representing his home state, his tenure focused on sports infrastructure and youth affairs.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 24, 2026 04:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).