The Aam Aadmi Party has moved to remove Raghav Chadha from the position of deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, requesting the House Secretariat to formally implement the change and refrain from allocating him speaking time from the party’s quota. The decision marks a significant organisational adjustment within the party’s parliamentary structure.
The party has formally proposed Ashok Mittal as the new deputy leader in the Upper House. The communication sent to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat asked that the appointment be processed at the earliest, signalling the party’s intent to quickly formalise the leadership transition.
The development effectively sidelines Chadha from a key parliamentary role despite his prominent presence in the party’s legislative affairs in recent years.
Leadership change ahead of parliamentary sessions
Sources indicated that the move reflects internal leadership adjustments within the party ahead of upcoming parliamentary sessions. Along with recommending Mittal for the deputy leadership role, the party also asked that Chadha should no longer be given speaking opportunities in Parliament under the party’s allotted time.
Mittal, an educationist and entrepreneur known for founding and serving as chancellor of Lovely Professional University, is expected to assume a more active role in representing the party in the Upper House once the Secretariat formalises the decision.
The Aam Aadmi Party currently has ten members in the Rajya Sabha, including seven from Punjab and three from Delhi.
Chadha’s rise within AAP
Chadha has been associated with the party since its early days. He began his political journey working with Arvind Kejriwal during the campaign for the Delhi Lokpal Bill in 2012. Over the years, he quickly rose within the organisation, serving as a national spokesperson and later becoming the party’s youngest treasurer following AAP’s victory in the 2015 Delhi Assembly elections.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, he contested from South Delhi but lost to Ramesh Bidhuri. The following year, he secured victory in the Delhi Assembly election from Rajendra Nagar and later served as vice chairman of the Delhi Jal Board.
In 2022, Chadha entered the Rajya Sabha from Punjab at the age of 33, becoming one of the youngest members of the Upper House. Since then, he had been closely involved in the party’s parliamentary and organisational work alongside senior leaders such as Manish Sisodia and Bhagwant Mann. In 2023, he was designated as the party’s leader in the Rajya Sabha, replacing Sanjay Singh.
Parliamentary interventions and public issues
During his tenure in Parliament, Chadha frequently raised social and governance issues. Last month, he drew attention to the practice of “sarpanch pati” or “panchayat pati”, where male relatives exercise authority on behalf of women elected to reserved seats in local bodies. He urged the government to ensure that women representatives function independently in line with the spirit of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment.
He also highlighted menstrual hygiene in Parliament, describing it as a matter of public health, education, and equality affecting more than 35 crore women and girls. Chadha argued that the lack of access to sanitary pads, water, and privacy forces many girls to miss school and reflects a systemic failure rather than a personal issue.
Earlier this year he also spent a day working as a delivery partner during protests by gig workers to understand the pressures faced by those employed in the sector.
The party has not publicly elaborated on the reasons for the leadership change, but the move marks a notable shift in AAP’s parliamentary strategy and internal alignment within the Rajya Sabha.
