Following a major political shake-up, Rajya Sabha MP Vikram Sahney, one of the seven leaders who resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party, has revealed that he met AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal just days before the group’s merger with the BJP.
Industrialist and philanthropist Sahney told NDTV, “I met with Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday. I told him about our plans...” He said he had cautioned Kejriwal that even the resignation of “one-two MPs” could eventually help the breakaway faction achieve the crucial two-thirds mark required under the anti-defection law.
Vikram Sahney Claims AAP Chief Was Told Before 7 MPs’ Dramatic Exit
“I told him, even if one-two MPs resign (from the Rajya Sabha), then the two-thirds figure will be achieved with just five (more) MPs,” said Sahney. He further claimed that Kejriwal did not believe Sandeep Pathak would resign. Meanwhile, Former Delhi CM Kejriwal and other AAP leaders have yet to respond publicly to Sahney’s claims.
Besides Sahney, six other MPs including Raghav Chadha, Rajinder Gupta, Sandeep Pathak, Swati Maliwal and Harbhajan Singh has also exited the AAP and joined the BJP.
AAP leaders strongly condemned the sudden exits and termed the MPs as “traitors (gaddar)” and accusing them of “betraying” Punjab’s people. Defending his decision, Chadha said he had felt like “the right man in the wrong party” and stated that the leaders left because they “did not want to be a part of their crime.”
Speaking to PTI on Saturday, Sahney said both Chadha and Pathak had grown increasingly “frustrated” after being “sidelined” over the past few years.
“In the 2022 Punjab elections, where the party got a very historic mandate, Sandeep Pathak and Raghav Chadha played a major role, in ticket distribution, candidate selection, and the overall strategy. But when they were sidelined, they became frustrated,” Sahney said.
He further alleged that a “new team took over”, particularly after AAP’s defeat in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections.
Sahney also pointed to Chadha’s removal as deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, saying it had further “aggravated” tensions within the party.
“Somewhere, the sidelining and ignoring of these two core leaders led to growing frustration, which eventually spread. They spoke to other MPs like us, and it became clear that there was dissatisfaction among everyone. We felt we were not able to serve Punjab the way we should,” Sahney said.
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Rejecting allegations of betrayal, Sahney insisted the MPs remained committed to Punjab’s welfare.
“None of us has betrayed Punjab or the people of Punjab. Anyone can say whatever they want, but we have always served, and we will continue to serve,” he said.
He also stressed that Punjab “needs strong central support” and claimed the MPs were “even ready to resign” if necessary.
“As for legal action, that is part of democracy, cases will go to the Vice President, President, or Supreme Court. From what I understand, there are rules like the two-thirds requirement and provisions for merger. For us, serving Punjab comes first,” Sahney asserted.