Silence, Absence Or More: Why AAP Removed Raghav Chadha As Rajya Sabha Deputy Leader

Last Updated:April 03, 2026, 05:09 IST

AAP removes Raghav Chadha as Rajya Sabha deputy leader, replaces him with Ashok Mittal, move sparks rift speculation as leaders cite Chadhas silence on key party issues.

In a significant move, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday removed Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha from the post of Deputy Leader in the Upper House, indicating signs of an internal rift within the party.

The Arvind Kejriwal-led party submitted an official letter to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat informing about the decision to remove Chadha as the party’s deputy leader. The party has also requested that Raghav Chadha not be allocated time to speak in Parliament.

AAP’s Punjab MP Ashok Mittal has been appointed as Chadha’s successor. Talking to reporters, Mittal said that Kejriwal has entrusted him with the new role and he will discharge his duties sincerely and present both the party’s stance and national interests forcefully in the House.

Raghav Chadha’s Response

Hours after the move, the Rajya Sabha MP issued a veiled response by sharing a compilation of his arguments and interventions in Rajya Sabha.

The three-minute video featured the 37-year-old leader raising concerns of wide range of issues, from air pollution and rising airfares to gig workers’ rights and the 28-day validity of mobile prepaid plans, among others.

He becomes the second Rajya Sabha MP of AAP, after Swati Maliwal, to have fallen out with the party leadership.

Why Was He Removed?

Although no official explanation has been provided, several media reports suggested that concerns around discipline and alignment with the party’s stance may have played a key role in his removal from the post. While Chadha is yet to address this removal, people familiar with the matter say the party’s decision stems from his “silence on matters related to AAP and absence from events led by Arvind Kejriwal."

His silence on core AAP issues had sparked exit rumours, particularly after he was left out from the list of the party’s star campaigners for Assam. As per PTI, party leaders have claimed that Chadha’s silence during the arrest of Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia has been a key issue.

Chadha appeared to have distanced himself from key party issues. Following AAP’s defeat in the 2025 Delhi elections, his public focus shifted towards broader policy concerns.

Chadha was abroad for medical reasons when 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, 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.

Party leaders claimed that Chadha has been increasingly sidelined from political campaigns and organisational matters of the party in other states, although he has been vocal inside and outside Parliament.

AAP Refutes Internal Rift

Mittal, who has replaced Chadha, told the media that finding a development was part of the “normal process" of the party. Downplaying the change, he termed it a routine process, noting that earlier N D Gupta was the deputy leader of the party in the Upper House, and then Chadha was given the responsibility.

“Now, I have been given this role. Our party wants all MPs to learn, and probably in that context, I have been given this role so that I can learn the processes and administrative skills in politics," he said, adding that the party remains strong.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh, reacting on party’s decision, said, “We have informed the Rajya Sabha Secretariat about the decision of the party."

The AAP currently has 10 members in the Rajya Sabha, including seven from Punjab and three from Delhi.

(With inputs from agencies)

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