The Opposition sharpened its attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after it replaced Raghav Chadha as its Rajya Sabha deputy leader, with several leaders calling the move indicative of deeper fissures within the party.
From the BJP, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri questioned the party’s functioning, saying, “Raghav Chadha has been with me in the Delhi Assembly, he is a good speaker. If the AAP leadership has put a stop to his speaking, then this is complete dictatorship.”
Speaking with news agency ANI, he said, "I ask Arvind Kejriwal where democracy is left in their party? If such a decision has been taken by the AAP leadership, then I condemn it... This is their internal matter, but to stop your own party's senior MP from speaking, no other party's leadership has ever done that."
Also Read | Raghav Chadha's subtle response after AAP replaces him as Rajya Sabha deputy leader
Congress leader Mallu Ravi also claimed the decesion to be against democratic values. “There can be differences between parties and members, but this has now gone beyond expectations... This kind of practice may not be healthy for democracy,” he told ANI.
BJP, Congress see Kejriwal angle
{{/usCountry}}Congress leader Mallu Ravi also claimed the decesion to be against democratic values. “There can be differences between parties and members, but this has now gone beyond expectations... This kind of practice may not be healthy for democracy,” he told ANI.
BJP, Congress see Kejriwal angle
{{/usCountry}}The BJP linked further the development to an alleged rift between Chadha and party chief Kejriwal.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva claimed, “The way Raghav Chadha has been replaced and sidelined shows that he has distanced himself from the anarchic and corrupt leadership of Arvind Kejriwal.”
Sachdeva further claimed that Chadha is the second prominent AAP leader after Swati Maliwal to have differences with the leadership. “First it was Swati Maliwal and now Raghav Chadha, both key figures in AAP Delhi, who appear to have moved away from Kejriwal’s style of functioning,” he said.
Congress leader Amarinder Singh Raja Warring echoed similar sentiments, pointing to Chadha’s absence from recent party events. “People realised this long ago, when he went to London while Kejriwal was arrested. Public perception now is that Chadha will leave or be removed from the party and join elsewhere,” he was quoted as saying by ANI.
Chadha had earlier said he was in London for an eye surgery when Kejriwal was arrested in the excise policy case in March 2024.
AAP calls it ‘internal restructuring’
AAP replaced Chadha with Ashok Mittal as deputy leader in the Upper House, with party leaders maintaining the move is part of routine organisational reshuffle.
Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha Sanjay Singh said the decision had been formally communicated. “Rajya Sabha secretariat was made aware of the party’s decision,” he told reporters.
Mittal himself sought to play down speculation of discord. “Raghav Chadha is our senior leader and will continue to remain so. I have taken over from him just as he took over from ND Gupta earlier. AAP is a democratic party and believes in giving opportunities to different leaders to raise important issues,” he said.
He added, “I am thankful to the party and Arvind Kejriwal for giving me this opportunity. With this change, we will be able to raise issues concerning Punjab more effectively in Parliament, especially delays in funds and matters affecting the common people.”
Chadha breaks silence
Hours after being replaced, Chadha did not issue any formal statement but posted a video montage on social media, highlighting key issues he had raised in Parliament.
However, on Friday, he published a video message on his social sites, asking if it was a “crime” to raise public interest issues in Parliament. “Have I done something wrong?”, Chadha was seen asking in the clip.
“Whenever I get the chance to speak in Parliament, I raise public's issues…but is it a crime or a mistake to do so? I am asking this because AAP has told the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to put a stop to Raghav Chadha's Parliament address,” Chadha added.
“Why would anyone want to silence me?,” Raghav Chadha said, adding that “Don't mistake my silence for my defeat”.
Party insiders suggested the move could be linked to electoral strategy, with Punjab heading for Assembly polls next year.
AAP currently has 10 Rajya Sabha MPs — seven from Punjab and three from Delhi — and is looking to sharpen its focus on state-specific issues in Parliament.
Mittal, an industrialist-turned-politician who entered the Rajya Sabha in April 2022. He was part of a multi-party delegation led by DMK MP Kanimozhi that visited several European countries after the Pahalgam terror attack last year.