“Whenever I get a chance to speak in Parliament, I raise public issues… But is raising public issues a crime?” he asked.
Read more: Why Raghav Chadha was removed as AAP’s Rajya Sabha deputy leader: Is all well in Kejriwal-led party?
He added that he speaks on concerns such as rising costs, airport food prices, challenges faced by gig workers, food adulteration, toll charges, banking fees, and telecom practices.
Questioning the decision, Chadha said: “Why would anyone want to stop me from speaking? Why would anyone want to silence my voice?”
Ending on a defiant note, he said: “Don’t consider my silence as my defeat. I am that river that becomes a flood when the time comes.”
AAP Replaces Chadha with Ashok Mittal
The remarks come a day after the Aam Aadmi Party replaced Chadha with Ashok Mittal as deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha.Party leaders confirmed that a letter was sent to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat informing it of the decision.
AAP Rajya Sabha leader Sanjay Singh said the Secretariat had been formally notified of the change.
Party Denies Claims of Silencing Chadha
AAP leaders rejected claims that Chadha had been prevented from speaking in Parliament.
Mittal said the party follows a democratic process and that all MPs, including Chadha, would continue to get opportunities to speak in the Upper House.
He described the leadership change as routine, noting that the position has previously rotated among members.
Signals of Strain Within AAP
The development comes amid Chadha’s prolonged silence on party matters and his absence from several key events led by AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal.
Chadha is now the second AAP Rajya Sabha MP, after Swati Maliwal, to be seen at odds with the party leadership.
Once considered a close aide of Kejriwal, Chadha played a key role in the party’s political strategy, particularly in Punjab and during AAP’s tenure in Delhi.
Chadha had been abroad for medical treatment during Kejriwal’s arrest in March 2024 in connection with the excise policy case. He returned months later and met Kejriwal shortly after his release.
More recently, he remained absent from key party moments, including a press conference and a rally at Jantar Mantar, despite major legal relief for AAP leaders.
Party insiders say Chadha has increasingly been sidelined from organisational and campaign activities, although he has continued to raise public issues both inside and outside Parliament.
AAP’s Strength in Rajya Sabha
AAP currently has 10 members in the Rajya Sabha, including seven from Punjab and three from Delhi, making it a significant regional force in the Upper House.
