India, May 4 -- A shocking development for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and welcome news for the BJP unfolded on April 24, when seven Rajya Sabha MPs from the AAP reportedly deserted their party under the leadership of Raghav Chadha and joined the BJP. This mass defection-comprising 7 out of AAP's 10 Rajya Sabha MPs-meets the two-thirds threshold required to claim a legal "merger" under India's anti-defection law, potentially allowing them to retain their seats in the Upper House.

While the BJP welcomed the newcomers as a sign of a vibrant democracy, the AAP and the broader opposition condemned the move as a blot on democratic values. An AAP spokesperson described it as "Operation Lotus" by the BJP. In an interview with Rajdeep Sardesai on...