With seven of the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Rajya Sabha MPs moving to the BJP, including six from Punjab, the party now has its highest-ever representation in the Upper House of Parliament from the state, marking a shift in a state where it has struggled for political space.From 1998 to 2022, the party had only four Rajya Sabha MPs from the state: Lajpat Rai (1998–2004), Gurcharan Kaur (2001–2004), Avinash Rai Khanna (2010–2016), and Shwait Malik (2016–2022). This was largely because it was a junior alliance partner to the Shiromani Akali Dal between 1996 and 2020, contesting only 3 of 13 Lok Sabha seats and 23 of 117 Assembly seats that limited its Upper House footprint.AdvertisementEven at present, the most prominent face from Punjab and Union MoS, Ravneet Singh Bittu, represents the BJP in the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan, while Satnam Singh Sandhu is a nominated member.Against this backdrop, the decision of the six AAP MPs from Punjab — Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Vikramjeet Singh Sahney, Rajinder Gupta, Ashok Mittal and Harbhajan Singh — to join the BJP gives the party a numerical and symbolic edge in the Rajya Sabha. Many in the BJP see it as a psychological breakthrough ahead of the Assembly elections early next year, providing it with the opportunity to sow further seeds of division in the AAP in the only state it is in power.When the AAP had announced its Rajya Sabha nominees after its Assembly election victory in March 2022, it faced criticism from its rivals for handing out the Upper House berths to “outsiders”, industrialists, and celebrities. That sentiment has now resurfaced, with the state AAP this time branding the defectors as those who had betrayed Punjab. Following their defection, the walls of the homes of Rajinder Gupta, Harbhajan Singh, and Ashok Mittal were defaced.AdvertisementThe BJP, however, believes these leaders bring advantages with them. Collectively, BJP leaders argue, these entrants bring influence across industry, education, public life and sections of the Punjabi diaspora. While they may lack a deep grassroots cadre, they offer the party entry into segments where it has traditionally had limited reach.“At a broader level, the move strengthens BJP’s position nationally as well, particularly in the Rajya Sabha, where every additional member adds to its legislative strength,” said a leader.“In Punjab, the move could contribute to further fragmentation of the anti-BJP vote, with political space divided among the AAP, the Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal, thereby indirectly benefiting the BJP in multi-cornered contests,” said another leader.Punjab BJP general secretary Anil Sarin said, “When in alliance with the SAD, the BJP contested only 23 Assembly seats and hence could not have more than two Rajya Sabha MPs from Punjab, depending upon the electoral result. However, with these six MPs joining, the party now has an all-time high representation. We are hopeful that they will be able to make a positive impact in Punjab ahead of the polls.”The political messaging has been amplified by the central leadership as well. BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh said, “These MPs have left a party where corruption has been institutionalised and they were suffocated. Their coming into the BJP fold will definitely be good for the party. A bugle has been blown against evil in Punjab.”Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar termed the development the “beginning of AAP’s decline”. “The beginning of AAP’s decline in Punjab has started and the Rajya Sabha MPs who left AAP and joined BJP will strengthen BJP in Punjab. This marks the beginning of the decline of the AAP, which can be described as one of the shortest-lived active parties in the country,” he said.you may likeAt the same time, BJP leaders acknowledge the limitations. “However, the gains remain largely strategic and perception-driven at this stage. Punjab’s politics continues to be shaped by strong rural networks, local leadership and traditional party loyalties. The real challenge will be to convert these high-profile inductions into grassroots support and organisational depth,” said a party leaderAnother leader pointed to governance-related dissatisfaction, saying, “When in government offices, official machinery listens to instructions of AAP leaders who are sitting in Punjab after losing polls in Delhi, MLAs and even ministers are hardly listened to. Such surprises will be heard even in future as well. Of course, it is going to have an impact on Punjab voters and politics.”With the BJP already indicating its intent to contest the Assembly elections on its own, the entry of these MPs strengthens its narrative positioning. Whether this translates into electoral gains, however, will depend on how effectively the party converts this numerical advantage in the Rajya Sabha into political traction on the ground.