Raghav Chadha Updates: Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha was replaced by Ashok Mittal as the deputy leader of the party in Rajya Sabha, even as speculations are rife over his rift with the top leadership. Party leaders confirmed that a letter to this effect was sent to the Rajya Sabha secretariat.
The Rajya Sabha MP responded a day later, saying he has been "silenced, not defeated". He added that he has been stopped from speaking in the House, but he has only raised public issues. He also posted a video on social media highlighting issues he raised as deputy leader of the party in the House, hours after being removed from the post. The montage mentioned issues like tax burden on the middle class, data expiry problem, paternity leave as a right in India, working conditions of gig workers and excess baggage charges at airports.
AAP leaders denied claims that Chadha was prevented from speaking in the Upper House. Mittal downplayed the change, terming it a routine process, noting that earlier ND Gupta was the deputy leader of the party in the Upper House, and then Chadha was given the responsibility.
Chadha was once considered a close confidant of AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and was among the youngest MPs. He was known to play a key role in the party's affairs, especially in Punjab and Delhi. The move comes after his silence on matters pertaining to the AAP. He was abroad when Kejriwal was arrested in the liquor policy case in 2024 and met him only a few days after the leader was released six months later. He was silent when Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia were discharged in the case last month and was absent from a presser and rally led by the former Delhi chief minister.
He becomes the second Rajya Sabha MP of AAP, after Swati Maliwal, to have fallen out with the party leadership.
The AAP currently has 10 members in the Rajya Sabha, including seven from Punjab and three from Delhi.
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Prolonged Silence And A Fallout
Raghav Chadha's demotion comes amid his prolonged silence on matters related to the AAP, and his absence from several public events led by Kejriwal.
Chadha was abroad for medical reasons when Arvind Kejriwal, the then Delhi chief minister, was arrested in connection with the excise policy case in March 2024. He remained away during Kejriwal's nearly six-month incarceration and met him only a few days after his release on September 13, 2024.
More recently, Chadha maintained silence when Kejriwal, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and other AAP leaders were discharged by a Delhi court in the excise case last month. He also missed Kejriwal's press conference and a recent rally at Jantar Mantar following the court's relief.
He becomes the second Rajya Sabha MP of AAP, after Swati Maliwal, to have fallen out with the party leadership.
"Jo Dar Gaya...": AAP's Saurabh Bharadwaj On Raghav Chadha's Demotion
"Compromised": Bhagwant Mann On Raghav Chadha's Demotion
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha is compromised as a leader and does not raise serious issues.
"Instead of raising serious issues - like the matter of votes being wrongly cut or our workers being arrested in Gujarat - he raises the issue of samosas in the canteen," Mann said.
Raghav Chadha's AAP Journey
Raghav Chadha, who turned 37 earlier this year, has been associated with AAP since the party was founded in 2012. He first encountered party chief Arvind Kejriwal during the final stages of the India Against Corruption campaign, when discussions were underway about whether to convert the movement into a political outfit. At the time Chadha was 23.
He joined the fledgling party and was given the task of drafting the Delhi Lokpal Bill, one of its early legislative priorities. A chartered accountant by training and an alumnus of Delhi's Modern School, Chadha quickly became one of the party's most visible national spokespersons. He appeared regularly on television debates and, at the age of 26, was appointed national treasurer.
In the 2020 Delhi Assembly election, he won the Rajinder Nagar seat and was subsequently made vice-chairman of the Delhi Jal Board. Two years later, in 2022, he entered the Rajya Sabha as an AAP nominee. For much of that period he was regarded as part of Kejriwal's inner circle and as one of the party's most senior figures. His demotion therefore marks a sharp change in status.
Key Issues Raghav Chadha Has Raised In Parliament
- Gig Workers' Issue: Raised concerns about low wages, the 10-minute delivery model, and lack of social security for delivery partners working with companies like Blinkit, Zomato, and Swiggy.
- Digital Content Creators: Demanded amendments to the Copyright Act, 1957 to protect teachers and influencers from algorithmic bias and wrongful content takedowns.
- Healthcare Sector: Advocated for "One Nation, One Health Treatment" and raised concerns over the condition and practices of private hospitals.
- Food Adulteration: Highlighted the issue of food adulteration, including the use of urea and other harmful substances, in the Rajya Sabha.
- Affordable Food at Airports: Proposed that affordable food options be made available in departure areas of all 150+ airports for passengers.
- 28-Day Recharge Issue: Suggested that mobile recharge plans should be valid for a full calendar month (30 or 31 days) instead of 28 days, with unused data carried forward.
- Bank Penalties: Proposed abolishing penalties charged for not maintaining minimum bank balance.
- Joint Income Tax Filing: Suggested introducing an option for married couples to file income tax jointly.
- Paternity Leave: Argued that paternity leave should be made a legal right in India.
After AAP Demotion, Raghav Chadha Posts Video Of Issues Raised In Parliament
Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha issued his first public statement, but it did not make any reference to his removal or to any tensions with the party leadership. The video consists of a series of short clips drawn from Chadha's recent speeches in the Rajya Sabha.
They show him raising issues that affect ordinary citizens and the wider economy. One segment covers the rules governing the expiry of mobile data packages. Another focuses on the working conditions of gig workers employed by quick-commerce platforms.
Video: Ashok Mittal On Being Appointed AAP's Rajya Sabha Deputy Leader
On being appointed the AAP's deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, Ashok Mittal told NDTV that the move is a part of an effort to give opportunities to all leaders to learn.
"Our party is democratic, and gives opportunities to all leaders to learn. First ND Gupta came, then Raghav Chadha. This is a learning curve so we can also carry out responsibilities."
He added that the decision will have no bearing on Chadha's role in the 2027 Punjab elections.
"Silenced, Not Defeated": Raghav Chadha On Rajya Sabha Demotion
AAP MP Raghav Chadha broke his silence and expressed a strong reaction after the party removed him and appointed Ashok Mittal as its new Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha. He said that he has been "silenced, not defeated".
In a video message, Chadha said that whenever he gets an opportunity to speak in Parliament, he raises issues concerning the common people -- topics that are often overlooked. He questioned why he was being stopped and asked whether raising public concerns was a crime.
AAP Replaces Raghav Chadha As Rajya Sabha Deputy Leader
The AAP replaced its deputy leader of the party in Rajya Sabha, Raghav Chadha, with Ashok Mittal, amid buzz over his alleged differences with the top leadership.
Party leaders confirmed that a letter was sent to the Rajya Sabha secretariat seeking the removal of Chadha from the post of deputy leader of the party in the Upper House.
