Chadha’s Remark Triggers Political Buzz
New Delhi: AAP MP Raghav Chadha on Friday said he had been “silenced, not defeated” a day after the party removed him as its deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. His statement triggered fresh political buzz and sharp reactions inside AAP. In a post on X, Chadha said he always raised public issues in Parliament. He questioned if raising public concerns had become a crime. He also claimed AAP wrote to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to stop him from speaking.
Atishi Questions Chadha’s Silence on Major Issues
AAP leader Atishi attacked Chadha and questioned his silence on key national matters. In a video message, she asked why he did not raise issues like alleged misuse of institutions and the LPG shortage. She also accused him of refusing to support an impeachment motion against the Chief Election Commissioner. Atishi said Chadha stayed away when AAP faced a serious crisis. She claimed party workers protested on streets after Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest, while Chadha remained absent.
Bhagwant Mann Says Chadha Violated Party Line
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also criticised Chadha and said he violated the party line. Mann said Chadha did not speak on alleged voter list irregularities in West Bengal. He also pointed out that Chadha skipped opposition walkouts in Parliament. Mann said such actions break the party whip. He added that parties take disciplinary steps in such cases. AAP leaders have also accused Chadha of focusing only on “soft issues” for publicity.
BJP Targets AAP After Deputy Leader Change
The BJP used the controversy to target AAP’s internal functioning. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said democracy inside AAP has ended. He claimed Chadha had to use social media to express his views. AAP replaced Chadha with Ashok Kumar Mittal as deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Chadha became a Rajya Sabha MP in April 2022. He now joins Swati Maliwal as another AAP MP who has faced public differences with the leadership.
