A day after Raghav Chadha’s demotion in the Rajya Sabha sparked rumors of internal strife, the Aam Aadmi Party’s internal discord has now become public. The situation intensified as Chadha, aged 37, posted a video accusing the AAP of attempting to silence him. In response, the party swiftly retaliated, claiming that the MP was hesitant to criticize Prime Minister Narendra Modi and had squandered his parliamentary time discussing trivial matters like samosas instead of focusing on national issues.
“For the past few years, you have become apprehensive, Raghav. You are reluctant to oppose Modi. You are hesitant to address the real concerns of the country,” remarked AAP’s national media chief Anurag Dhanda, indicating a widening divide.
On Thursday, AAP removed Raghav Chadha, the MP from Punjab, as the Rajya Sabha deputy leader and appointed Ashok Mittal in his place. Criticizing Chadha’s behavior in Parliament, Dhanda emphasized that the party has limited time to speak and must utilize it to raise significant national issues.
“In that timeframe, we can either strive to safeguard the nation or focus on reducing samosa prices at airport cafeterias,” he stated. Dhanda also highlighted instances where Chadha did not align with the party’s stance, such as failing to address the arrest of AAP workers in Gujarat.
Dhanda further mentioned that Chadha declined to support a resolution against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and remained seated during the Prime Minister’s address in Parliament, even when other party members walked out. AAP’s Sanjay Singh also criticized Chadha, pointing out his lack of support for the party on various national issues and his silence on matters affecting public welfare.
In a video message following these events, Raghav Chadha asserted that he had been muzzled by his own party but remained resolute. He defended his actions in Parliament, stressing that he raised pertinent issues concerning the public and questioned whether it was wrong to advocate for people’s concerns.
Subsequently, AAP formally requested the Rajya Sabha secretariat to remove Raghav Chadha as the party’s deputy leader in the House, proposing Ashok Mittal as his replacement. The communication also urged that Chadha should not be allocated speaking time under the party’s quota in the Upper House.
Once regarded as a close associate of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and recognized as one of the youngest parliamentarians, Chadha previously played a significant role in the party, particularly in Punjab and during its governance in Delhi.