The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has removed Raghav Chadha from the post of Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, appointing MP Ashok Mittal as his replacement.
The party submitted an official letter to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, requesting that Chadha should not be allocated time to speak in Parliament.
AAP currently has 10 members in the Upper House, seven from Punjab and three from Delhi. Chadha’s removal signals possible internal differences, especially after his silence on core party issues following AAP’s defeat in the 2025 Delhi elections.
In recent months, Chadha focused on public interest matters such as paid paternity leave, high food costs at airports, gig workers’ rights, traffic congestion, and menstrual hygiene. His absence from party campaigns, including exclusion from the list of star campaigners for Assam, fueled speculation about his distancing from AAP’s leadership.
Reports suggest the decision may be linked to allegations of indiscipline and not adhering to the party line. Chadha notably remained silent on the discharge of Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in the liquor excise policy-linked case.
Chadha has been associated with AAP since its inception, working with Kejriwal on the Delhi Lokpal Bill in 2012. He rose quickly, becoming national spokesperson, youngest treasurer after the 2015 Delhi victory, and later the youngest Rajya Sabha MP in 2022. In 2023, he replaced Sanjay Singh as AAP’s leader in the Upper House.
