The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday announced its exit from the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), an alliance of nearly three dozen Opposition parties, saying that the bloc has “failed to stay united and take steps to further its agenda”.
The grouping was formed only two years ago in July 2023, to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The AAP’s announcement comes just a day before the scheduled meeting of the INDIA bloc and days before the beginning of the monsoon session of Parliament.
Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, who made the announcement at his residence, blamed the Congress for the AAP’s decision. He also said that like the previous state elections and bypolls, the AAP will fight the upcoming Bihar polls independently.
“The AAP is not a part of the INDIA alliance, though we will continue to strongly raise public issues in Parliament, oppose the government whenever we believe it is in the wrong. We have always played the role of a strong opposition and will continue to do that. INDIA alliance should hold its meetings and take whatever decisions it wants to take,” Singh told reporters on Friday.
Singh said the Congress failed to keep the Opposition united after 2024. The INDIA bloc won 234 seats in the election, pushing the BJP to its lowest tally since 2014, although the party still emerged the single largest in the house and was able to achieve a majority with its alliance partners.
{{/usCountry}}Singh said the Congress failed to keep the Opposition united after 2024. The INDIA bloc won 234 seats in the election, pushing the BJP to its lowest tally since 2014, although the party still emerged the single largest in the house and was able to achieve a majority with its alliance partners.
{{/usCountry}}“The INDIA bloc did not take steps to further its agenda, did not hold any meetings after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The largest party in the alliance is Congress. But did it play its role to keep the parties united?” Singh said.
The AAP and the Congress together contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Goa and Chandigarh. However, the parties separately contested the 2025 Delhi assembly elections held in February, with the leaders attacking each other during campaigning.
Congress leader and Punjab Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said: “AAP’s exit will only strengthen the INDIA alliance by removing ambiguity. Rahul Gandhi has emerged as the clear and credible face of the fight to protect India’s Constitution, democracy, and secular ethos... In contrast, AAP was always playing a double game. Kejriwal has publicly appealed to Congress workers to defect to AAP, exposing his intentions. Rather than fighting BJP, AAP consistently targeted Congress to weaken the larger opposition space. With AAP out, INDIA is now free to focus on real, committed partners and present a united, clear alternative to the BJP.”
Tanvir Aeijaz, associate professor of Political Science at Ramjas College said AAP’s exit reflects the underlying tensions and competing ambitions within the Opposition bloc. “While the alliance was formed with the shared goal of challenging the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections, post-poll realities have shifted political calculations,” he said.
“AAP’s decision to go solo in subsequent state elections signals a strategic move to preserve its regional identity and autonomy, especially in states where it sees itself as a principal player rather than a junior partner. This development underscores the challenges of maintaining cohesion in a diverse coalition with varying regional stakes and ideological priorities.”