ADR Analyses 111 MPs, MLAs Who Switched Parties

 

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch have conducted a comprehensive examination of 111 sitting Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assemblies who switched their political affiliations following their election to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and State Assemblies. This examination encompasses electoral contests held between 2022 and 2026, including by-elections conducted throughout this time frame, To facilitate this examination, the 111 instances of elected MPs and MLAs who transitioned to different political parties have been systematically organized into four separate classifications, each determined by the specific characteristics and mechanisms underlying the party change. 

These categories are: 

(i) Individual switch / defection, where a legislator voluntarily left one party and joined another without resigning from the House;

(ii) Party merger, where the original party (or a substantial section of its legislative wing) formally merged with another political party, as seen in cases such as NDPP NPF in Nagaland;

(iii) Resignation + Bye-election, where the legislator first resigned from the Assembly/Parliament, joined a new party, and subsequently contested and won the bye election; and

(iv)  Disqualification + Bye-election, where the member was disqualified under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, later joined another party, and won the seat again through a bye-election.

As per the ADR, sitting members of Parliament and members of legislative Assembly switched their  party affiliations across 17 states and Union Territories. Nagaland documented the most significant number of party transitions, accounting for 32 instances (29% of total switches). with West Bengal following closely behind at 20 instances (18% of total switches). 

Party-wise share of MPs and MLAs who changed Political Parties 

  The highest number of party switches was recorded among representatives originally elected from NDPP (25, 23%), followed by AITC (20, 18%) and INC (19, 17%). BRS accounted for 9 (8%) party switches, while AAP and NCP each accounted for 7 (6%). Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) accounted for 6 (5%), followed by JD(U) with 5 (5%) and NPP with 4 (4%). 

  Overall, NDPP, AITC and INC together accounted for 64 (58%) of the 111 MPs/MLAs who changed parties. 

  It is noteworthy that the recent fall of governments in some State Assemblies was attributed to defections by their MLAs.