The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has removed Raghav Chadha from his position as Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, informing the Rajya Sabha Secretariat that he should no longer be allotted speaking time in the Upper House.
In his place, the party has nominated Ashok Mittal as the new Deputy Leader of AAP in the Rajya Sabha.
According to the report, speculation immediately emerged about Chadha potentially joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). However, senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh dismissed such reports as completely baseless, emphasizing that Chadha remains a core member of the party and maintains close ties with its leadership.
Singh noted that Chadha’s recent Rajya Sabha nomination, his responsibilities in Punjab, and legal developments in his favour all point to his continued association with AAP, making rumours of a defection “without merit.”
The chatter about Chadha’s possible switch gained attention after his lower public visibility in recent weeks. He has largely stayed away from party offices, media interactions, and social media commentary, including during high-profile events like party chief Arvind Kejriwal securing relief in the Delhi excise policy case.
As per the report, Singh said that variations in a politician’s public activity are normal and should not be interpreted as a precursor to joining another party. He also mentioned that Chadha himself is best placed to explain the reasons for his relatively low profile in recent weeks.
Singh reiterated that there is currently no indication of Chadha moving to the BJP and asserted that, if such a situation ever arose, he would be among the first to oppose it.
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