The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has removed Raghav Chaddha from his Depuy Leader post in Rajya Sabha and appointed Punjab MP Ashok Mittal to the role. This replacement is a result of growing rift between Raghav Chaddha and the AAP leadership which turned speculation into official action on Thursday.

The move became more pointed when the party leadership formally requested the the Rajya Sabha to stop allocation speaking time to Raghav Chaddha from party's designated quota.

Reasons Behind Sidelining Raghav Chaddha

According to the Economic Times reports, the party's decision follows a long period of perceived distancing by Raghav Chaddha from the AAP party's official stance. The party continuously noted his silence on critical developments, specifically the recent acquittals of Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in Delhi Liquor policy case. Raghav Chaddha's absence from the AAP office during Kejriwal's subsequent press conference further signed a rift between them.

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This follows a pattern of friction that began before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. During Arvind Kejriwal's arrest, Chadha remained out of the public eye, later stating he was in the UK for eye surgery.

Raghav's recent exclusion from the "star campaigner" list for the Assam elections and his silence on major legal victories for senior leaders have fueled ongoing rumors regarding a potential exit from the party.

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The Party's Public Stance

Addressing the media, the newly appointed Deputy Leader Ashok Mittal characterised the change as a routine administrative process. He dismissed rumors of a falling out, asserting that speaking time in the Rajya Sabha is a democratic process and that Chadha would be given opportunities to speak in the future.

Regarding Chadha's role in the upcoming Punjab assembly elections, the party stated that a decision would be made at a later date. Previously, senior leader Sanjay Singh had addressed rumors of Chadha joining the BJP by stating that internal "family issues" are resolved through discussion.

Raghav Chadha's Political Background

Chadha has been a prominent face of AAP since joining the movement in 2012 during the Delhi Lokpal Bill protests. He rose quickly through the ranks, serving as the party’s youngest treasurer in 2015 and later as a legislator for Rajendra Nagar in 2020.

After serving as Vice-Chairman of the Delhi Jal Board, he moved to national politics in 2022, becoming one of the youngest Rajya Sabha members at age 33. By 2023, he had been appointed the party’s leader in the Upper House, frequently representing AAP on high-profile issues before this recent demotion.