Raghav Chadda demoted as party’s deputy leader in Rajya Sabha 

Ashok Mittal, the Punjab MP for the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has replaced Raghav Chadha as the party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. According to party insiders who spoke to news agency PTI, the AAP has also instructed the Rajya Sabha Secretariat that Raghav Chadha shouldn’t be given time to speak in parliament.

Sources close to Raghav Chadha say that the party wanted to silence him in parliament. “The party informed parliament to not allot him time to speak and to further ensure that he cannot assign time to himself to speak he was removed as deputy leader,” sources said. 

The chancellor of Lovely Professional University, Mittal takes Chadha’s place as the AAP’s deputy leader in the Upper House of Parliament. The leader of the AAP in the House is MP Sanjay Singh. The AAP now has ten members in the Rajya Sabha: three from Delhi and seven from Punjab. After the BJP, Congress, and Trinamool Congress, the party is the fourth largest in the House.

The development of today is noteworthy and raises concerns about Chadha’s future in the AAP. Chadha was formerly regarded as the party’s top leader and a member of Kejriwal’s inner circle.

Chadha, 37, has been a member of AAP from its founding. He is a chartered accountant and a graduate of Delhi’s Modern School. When Kejriwal and others were discussing whether or not to form a party during the final phase of the India Against Corruption campaign, Chadha met Kejriwal. The Delhi Lokpal Bill was Chadha’s first political assignment after he joined the AAP at the age of 23.

As the AAP’s national spokesperson, Chadha took center stage and frequently participated in TV discussions. At the age of 26, he was named national treasurer of the AAP. Chadha was named vice-chairman of the Delhi Jal Board after winning the Rajinder Nagar seat in the 2020 Delhi elections. He was chosen by the AAP for the Rajya Sabha in 2022.

Buzz regarding Chadha’s position inside the party has been circulating for months, even though the AAP has not formally stated the cause for what is perceived to be his demotion.

There was conjecture in the halls of power due to Chadha’s absence from important party events and his silence on events like the clean chit to Kejriwal and AAP leader Manish Sisodia. However, Chadha has been bringing up important problems in the Rajya Sabha, such as the rights of gig workers, excessive airport food pricing, and traffic congestion in big cities.

Mittal thanked Kejriwal for giving him the responsibility. “Our party is a democratic party and allows every leader to learn the ropes. First, ND Gupta was the deputy leader, then it was Chadha ji and now it is me,” he told .