The internal rift within the Aam Aadmi Party has deepened, with Raghav Chadha publicly countering criticism from his own party leadership through a video response, intensifying the ongoing confrontation.
Chadha shared a three-minute compilation of his speeches in the Rajya Sabha, pushing back against allegations that he had failed to raise issues concerning Punjab. In his message, he suggested that a narrative had been built against him and asserted that Punjab remains central to his political work and identity.
The backlash from the party’s Punjab leadership had been sharp. Senior leaders, including Harpal Singh Cheema, Aman Arora, and Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, accused Chadha of not addressing key state concerns in Parliament despite being elected by Punjab MLAs. They argued that he had not raised critical matters affecting the state, which they said went against the party’s principles.
In response, Chadha highlighted his parliamentary interventions on multiple public issues, including air pollution, rising airfares, gig workers’ rights, and telecom policies. He maintained that his record demonstrates consistent engagement with both national and state-level concerns.
AAP leaders, however, pointed to several unresolved issues they believe should have been prioritised, such as pending Rural Development Fund dues of around ₹8,500 crore, GST-related losses estimated at nearly ₹60,000 crore, reduced GST compensation, funding gaps under the National Health Mission, and delays in flood relief funds announced by Narendra Modi.
The dispute follows closely after Chadha’s removal from the post of Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, a move that signalled growing unease within the party. The leadership also reportedly wrote to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat seeking to limit his speaking opportunities under the party’s quota.
This episode adds to broader internal tensions within AAP, with Chadha becoming the second Rajya Sabha MP after Swati Maliwal to have a strained relationship with the leadership. The public exchange of accusations and rebuttals has brought internal divisions into the open, raising questions about cohesion within the party as it continues to govern Punjab.
