The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha are in a public dispute that has escalated from an internal decision to remove him as deputy leader to a series of allegations, including “soft PR” and “post-deletion”, along with counterclaims.
The Trigger: A Key Removal
On 2 April 2026, the Aam Aadmi Party officially wrote to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to remove Raghav Chadha as the party’s Deputy Leader in the Upper House.
Punjab MP Ashok Mittal (Founder of LPU) was named the new Deputy Leader. The party requested that Chadha not be allotted any speaking time from the AAP’s parliamentary quota, effectively silencing him on the floor.
What AAP Is Saying
Senior leaders, including Saurabh Bharadwaj and Atishi, have leveled several specific charges:
"Soft PR" Tactics: AAP alleges Chadha focused on "lifestyle" issues (like airport baggage fees and menstrual leave) rather than aggressively attacking the BJP or raising core Punjab issues like GST losses.
The "Surgical Erasure": On April 5, Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed Chadha had deleted old X (Twitter) posts critical of PM Modi and the BJP, suggesting he was "cleaning his image" for a potential switch.
Non-Cooperation: The party claims he refused to sign a joint Opposition notice to remove the Chief Election Commissioner and stayed away from key protests.
What Raghav Chadha Said
Chadha has hit back with a series of video messages titled "Silenced, Not Defeated," calling the allegations a "scripted campaign."
The Rebuttal: He challenged the party to check CCTV footage of Parliament to prove he participated in walkouts.
Selective Targeting: He noted that 6-7 other AAP MPs also hadn't signed the CEC notice, yet he was the only one being targeted.
"Wounded & Dangerous": In a sharp warning on April 4, he stated, "Ghayal hoon isiliye ghatak hoon" (I am wounded, that is why I am dangerous), hinting at a larger political pushback.
The Timeline: April 2026
April 2: AAP submits the letter to replace Chadha with Ashok Mittal.
April 3: Chadha releases his first video defense, questioning why raising public issues is considered a "crime."
April 4: AAP leaders launch a coordinated attack; Chadha issues his "Wounded/Dangerous" warning.
April 5: Saurabh Bharadwaj goes public with the "deleted posts" allegation, fueling rumors of a BJP move.
New Political Reactions
Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu criticised the development, calling it a sign of internal discord within AAP.
He alleged that Chadha earlier raised funds for the party and claimed that role had ended.
He also described AAP as a “use and throw” outfit and questioned its internal functioning.
Additional Allegations
Former AAP leader Naveen Jaihind made allegations that the dispute involved money and claimed Chadha took funds abroad.
AAP has not responded to these claims.
Raghav Chadha denied all allegations and called them politically motivated.
