RS Chairman Accepts Merger: 7 AAP MPs Officially Join BJP; Party Strength Rises To 113

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has faced its most significant legislative crisis to date as its Rajya Sabha footprint plummeted from 10 members to just 3. Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has officially approved the merger of the rebel faction, led by Raghav Chadha, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This decision effectively validates the split under the two-thirds rule of the Anti-Defection Law. While the BJP’s Upper House strength has surged to 113, a depleted AAP is crying foul, insisting that the Chairman should have prioritised their disqualification petition before approving the merger.