From sarpanch pati to menstrual hygiene & gig workers: Raghav Chadha’s recent push in Parliament and on Instagram

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party has replaced Raghav Chadha as its deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, naming Ashok Mittal for the role and asking the Upper House not to allot Chadha speaking time from the party’s quota.

The move signals a shift in the party’s parliamentary strategy, with Mittal now set to take over a key coordination role in the Upper House. Chadha, until recently one of AAP’s most visible faces in Parliament, is no longer part of the party’s official speaking lineup.A spree of issues in ParliamentThe development comes even as Chadha had been actively raising a range of public-interest issues in recent weeks.In one of his recent interventions, he flagged the practice of “sarpanch pati” or “panchayat pati,” where women elected to reserved local body seats often remain figureheads while real authority is exercised by male relatives.

He called for stricter implementation of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment to ensure women representatives can function independently.

He also raised concerns over menstrual hygiene, calling it a matter of health, education, and equality affecting over 35 crore women and girls. Chadha argued that when girls miss school due to lack of access to sanitary products, water, and privacy, it reflects a systemic failure, while also criticising the stigma around menstruation.

Pushing new conversationsChadha had also pushed for paternity leave to be recognised as a legal right, highlighting how caregiving responsibilities continue to fall disproportionately on women.Earlier this year, amid protests by gig workers, he spent a day working as a delivery partner to understand the pressures and challenges associated with the job—an experience he later referenced in Parliament.From Parliament to InstagramAlongside his parliamentary interventions, Chadha had significantly ramped up his presence on social media, particularly Instagram, over the past two to three months.His posts frequently featured clips of his speeches—on issues like paternity leave—as well as personal milestones such as the birth of his child. Much of this content focused on his individual voice, with limited reference to the party’s broader messaging.A fast rise within AAPChadha has been associated with AAP since its early days, working alongside Arvind Kejriwal during the Delhi Lokpal movement. He rose quickly within the party ranks—becoming a national spokesperson, its youngest treasurer, and later a key parliamentary face.In 2022, he entered the Rajya Sabha as one of its youngest MPs and has since remained active in debates and policy discussions.A shift in rolesThe party’s latest move marks a change in its parliamentary lineup, even as Chadha’s recent interventions and growing individual visibility had kept him in focus.(With agency inputs)