On Friday, Raghav Chadha, a leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Rajya Sabha, criticized his own party, led by Arvind Kejriwal. This comes after he was removed as the deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, revealing a public feud between him and the party leadership.
In a video message, Chadha suggested that the party’s action was an attempt to silence him and prevent him from addressing public issues in Parliament. He questioned whether it was wrong to raise concerns on behalf of the public and highlighted his track record of addressing neglected topics in Parliament.
The AAP formally requested the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to replace Chadha with Ashok Mittal as the new Deputy Leader in the House. Chadha expressed bewilderment as to why he was being muzzled when his efforts always aimed to champion the cause of the common man and shed light on various societal issues.
In a firm response to those responsible for his removal, Chadha asserted that he may have been silenced but not defeated. Once considered a close associate of Arvind Kejriwal and one of the youngest parliamentarians in the country, Chadha held significant roles within the AAP, particularly in Punjab and during the party’s rule in Delhi.
AAP leaders have denied allegations that Chadha was restricted from speaking in Parliament on behalf of the party. Mittal assured that Chadha would have the opportunity to address the Rajya Sabha in the future, emphasizing the democratic nature of the party’s processes.
Chadha’s silence on AAP matters and his absence from Kejriwal-led events led to this development. Notably, he was overseas for medical reasons during Kejriwal’s and other AAP leaders’ arrest in a case related to the excise policy in March 2024. Despite this, Chadha remained quiet even after Kejriwal and others were exonerated by a Delhi court in the same case.
This recent discord marks Chadha as the second AAP Rajya Sabha MP, following Swati Maliwal, to face strained relations with the party leadership.