111 Indian MPs and MLAs switched parties after winning elections between 2022 and 2026, ADR data shows—26 Lok Sabha, 7 Rajya Sabha and 78 MLAs.
Nagaland tops the list with 32 defections, all MLAs, stemming from a realignment between the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party and the Naga People’s Front that the parties call a merger.
West Bengal follows with 20 MPs who moved from the AITC to the Nationalist Citizens Party of India; the lawmakers frame the shift as a party merger, but Speaker Om Birla has placed the 20 cases on his docket for review.
Other states add nuance: Telangana saw nine BRS MLAs switch to Congress, Goa’s eight Congress MLAs crossed over to the BJP, Punjab’s eight switches included six Rajya Sabha members and two MLAs, and Maharashtra’s six Lok Sabha MPs moved from the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction to the new Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde.
Across the board, 81 of the 111 switches—about 73%—benefited the NPF, BJP and NCPI, reshaping the balance of power in several state assemblies and the Parliament.
The Speaker’s panel may decide on disqualification within the next fortnight, potentially triggering by‑polls that could further alter the political landscape ahead of the next general elections.