Raghav Chadha’s defection to the BJP along with six Rajya Sabha MPs has intensified concerns over AAP’s stability in Delhi, where the party now faces the risk of further MLA defections and shrinking legislative strength. (File Photo)With AAP’s former Rajya Sabha deputy leader Raghav Chadha, along with six of his colleagues in the Upper House crossing over to the BJP on Friday, the biggest challenge for the party in Delhi is keeping its flock together.Insiders apprehended that the fallout of the episode in the Upper House could play out among “five to seven” of its legislators in the city.This becomes a particular concern for the AAP given its current strength in the Delhi Assembly – from a high of 67 in 2015, it currently has 22 MLAs – is six less than when it established a presence in the Capital in 2013.In the 2015 and 2020 polls, the party won 67 and 62 of the 70 seats, respectively. A loss of seven more MLAs could cut the party down to just 15 MLAs.Of the party’s 22 MLAs in the Delhi Assembly, 15 must switch sides from the principal Opposition party in the House to avoid the anti-defection law.“The BJP’s strategy appears to be clear: superimposing former AAP leaders on to Punjab in the run up to the polls (in 2027) to level allegations against the Bhagwant Mann government,” a source said.“Chadha might be utilised as a crowd-puller; he is the only one who can be useful to the BJP in that respect as the others who have defected are not mass leaders,” the source added.Chadha’s announcement on Friday came three weeks after he was removed as the deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. After he made the announcement before mediapersons, he, Mittal and Pathak met BJP president Nitin Nabin at the party’s headquarters on DDU Marg.Following the departure of these seven faces from AAP, the party is left with only three MPs: Sanjay Singh and N D Gupta from Delhi and Balbir Singh Seechewal from Punjab.Story continues below this adOn several occasions, AAP leaders had mentioned ‘Operation Lotus’ – a term for the BJP “breaking away” leaders from other parties – to describe party leaders jumping ship to the BJP.In March 2023, Chadha himself had claimed that ‘Operation Lotus 2.0’ was being planned by the BJP in Delhi. He had accused the party of having launched a witch hunt against AAP leaders, as part of which MLAs were being threatened with ED/CBI cases. Chadha had then alleged that the BJP wanted to topple the AAP government in Delhi and that AAP MLAs were being “sent offers by the BJP high command”.In August 2022, then Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had called a meeting after four AAP MLAs claimed that they were contacted by the BJP and offered Rs 20 crore each to join the party.They were also allegedly offered Rs 25 crore to bring another MLA along with them.Story continues below this adIn February 2025, AAP’s Sanjay Singh had claimed that BJP had offered seven AAP candidates Rs 15 crore as part of the ‘Operation Lotus’ to bribe them to jump ship.Nirbhay Thakur is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express who primarily covers district courts in Delhi and has reported on the trials of many high-profile cases since 2023. Professional Background Education: Nirbhay is an economics graduate from Delhi University. Beats: His reporting spans the trial courts, and he occasionally interviews ambassadors and has a keen interest in doing data stories. Specializations: He has a specific interest in data stories related to courts. Core Strength: Nirbhay is known for tracking long-running legal sagas and providing meticulous updates on high-profile criminal trials. Recent notable articles In 2025, he has written long form articles and two investigations. Along with breaking many court stories, he has also done various exclusive stories. 1) A long form on Surender Koli, accused in the Nithari serial killings of 2006. He was acquitted after spending 2 decades in jail. was a branded man. Deemed the “cannibal" who allegedly lured children to his employer’s house in Noida, murdered them, and “ate their flesh” – his actions cited were cited as evidence of human depravity at its worst. However, the SC acquitted him finding various lapses in the investigation. The Indian Express spoke to his lawyers and traced the 2 decades journey. 2) For decades, the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has been at the forefront of the Government’s national rankings, placed at No. 2 over the past two years alone. It has also been the crucible of campus activism, its protests often spilling into national debates, its student leaders going on to become the faces and voices of political parties of all hues and thoughts. The Indian Express looked at all court cases spanning over two decades and did an investigation. 3) Investigation on the 700 Delhi riots cases. The Indian Express found that in 17 of 93 acquittals (which amounted to 85% of the decided cases) in Delhi riots cases, courts red-flag ‘fabricated’ evidence and pulled up the police. Signature Style Nirbhay’s writing is characterized by its procedural depth. He excels at summarizing 400-page chargesheets and complex court orders into digestible news for the general public. X (Twitter): @Nirbhaya99 ... Read MoreJatin Anand is an Assistant Editor with the national political bureau of The Indian Express. With over 16 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is a seasoned expert in national governance, electoral politics, and bureaucratic affairs. Having covered high-stakes beats including the Election Commission of India (ECI), intelligence, and urban development, Jatin provides authoritative analysis of the forces shaping Indian democracy. He is an alumnus of Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU) and the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, where he specialized in Print Journalism. Expertise High-Stakes Beat Coverage: Throughout his decade-and-a-half career, Jatin has covered some of the most sensitive and influential beats in the country, including: The Election Commission of India (ECI): Monitoring electoral policy, reforms, and the conduct of national and state polls. National Security & Intelligence: Reporting on the internal mechanisms and developments within India's security apparatus. Urban Development: Analyzing the policies and bureaucratic processes driving the transformation of India’s cities. National Political Bureau: In his current role, he tracks the intersection of policy and politics, offering deep-dive reporting on the Union government and national political movements. Academic Credentials: Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU): Alumnus of one of Delhi's premier institutions. Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai: Specialized in Print Journalism at India's most prestigious journalism school. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd