India political defection: 111 MPs and MLAs changed parties since 2022

A report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch reveals that 111 Members of Parliament and State Legislators changed political parties between 2022 and 2026. The group of defectors includes 26 Lok Sabha MPs, 7 Rajya Sabha MPs, and 78 MLAs.

The Nagaland People's Front (NPF) saw the highest influx with 32 members, accounting for approximately 29 percent of the total. However, the report notes that this was largely due to a party merger in 2025 rather than individual defections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was the second largest recipient, gaining 29 members (26 percent), including 7 Rajya Sabha MPs from the Aam Aadmi Party.

Other parties receiving members included the Nationalist Citizens Party of India with 20, while the Indian National Congress received 9. The analysis categorized these shifts into four types: changing parties without resigning from the house, party mergers, resigning to contest by-elections for a new party, and joining a new party after being disqualified and winning a subsequent by-election.