Prominent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha resigned from the party and joined the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with six other MPs. Chadha said more than two-thirds of AAP’s Rajya Sabha members agreed to “merge” with the BJP and that procedural formalities had been completed, a move that will allow the defectors to avoid disqualification under India’s anti-defection law, which exempts a merger backed by two-thirds of a party’s legislators.
The shift cuts AAP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha from 10 members to three and comes ahead of the 2027 Punjab assembly elections, where AAP has been strong.
AAP leadership has challenged the move. Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said he would write to the Rajya Sabha chairman seeking the disqualification of Chadha and the six others, arguing the anti-defection law does not legally recognise splits, breakaway factions or groups in either house of parliament, regardless of claimed majorities. Singh called the MPs’ joining the BJP “completely unconstitutional and illegal.”
Other major headlines:
– US anti-dumping duties on Indian solar imports: The US Department of Commerce announced a preliminary anti-dumping duty of 123.04% on solar cells and modules from India, citing “critical circumstances” in its probe of multiple Indian firms, including Mudra Solar Energy, Kowa and Premier Energies. Duties were also extended to imports from Indonesia and Laos; the three countries together accounted for about $4.5 billion in US solar imports last year.
– Violence in Manipur: At least three people were killed and five injured after clashes and gunfire between rival ethnic groups, Naga and Kuki, in Manipur’s Ukhrul district. Two of those killed were Kukis and one a Tangkhul Naga. The state has seen prolonged ethnic conflict for nearly three years, with more than 250 fatalities overall. Authorities said security measures were being strengthened and operations were ongoing.
– Rahul Gandhi to visit Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled for a three-day visit (April 26–28) to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where he will meet Great Nicobar tribal council members and raise concerns about the government’s Rs 810 billion Great Nicobar Holistic Development Project. The project has faced opposition from conservationists and indigenous groups, while the government says it is strategically important.
Other notes: A heatwave alert was issued for Delhi, with maximum temperatures expected between 42–44°C. The live blog closed on April 25, 2026, with a thank-you message to readers.