What's next for Raghav Chadha? AAP defends 'disciplinary action' in Rajya Sabha in first remarks

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday released a statement defending its decision to replace Raghav Chadha as its deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha with Ashok Mittal.

Calling its decision a "routine disciplinary action", the party claimed that Chadha constantly avoided speaking out against the PM Modi-led BJP government—a prolonged silence that it said affected the party and the country.

This comes after the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP sent a letter to the Rajya Sabha secretariat, requesting that the Punjab MP be replaced.

Chadha first responded to the snub with a cryptic post featuring a video montage showing the various issues he demanded in Parliament, and later spoke his mind on the order to replace him, saying in an X post that he was "silenced, not defeated".

"Is it a crime to raise the issues of the people or to speak on public issues? Have I done something wrong? ... These discussions helped the aam aadmi (common people), but how did these issues affect the Aam Aadmi Party?" he questioned further.

The AAP also alleged in its statement that the accountant-turned-MP had repeatedly acted against the party line, citing instances such as his refusal to sign the impeachment motion against the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and not speaking in Parliament about the LPG crisis, which it said was in clear violation of the party whip. 

Notably, Chadha had also not made any major statements on Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia’s recent discharge in connection with the excise policy-linked money laundering case, which had reportedly raised eyebrows within the party.

"While we were fighting daily on the streets, Raghav Chadha was in London. He told us that he was there for an eye operation ... I wonder, when Arvind Kejriwal was arrested, was he afraid of the BJP? Was he afraid of Narendra Modi? Did he run away to London out of fear?” Delhi Assembly Leader of Opposition (LoP) Atishi was quoted as saying in the statement.

"Today, Raghav Chadha must decide whether he stands with the Constitution or with Narendra Modi," she added, amid speculations of Chadha jumping to the BJP, as his exit from the AAP has also not been ruled out.

Chadha's new replacement, Ashok Mittal, however, remained tight-lipped on the party's allegations against the Punjab MP, stating that he "will also be given time to speak in the Rajya Sabha in the future".