New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has initiated a major internal reshuffle by requesting the removal of MP Raghav Chadha from his position as the party’s Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha. In a formal letter submitted to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat on Thursday, April 2, 2026, the party requested that Chadha be stripped of the leadership role and, significantly, that he no longer be allotted speaking time from the party’s official quota in the Upper House. The party has proposed MP Ashok Mittal, the founder of Lovely Professional University, as his replacement for the deputy leadership post.
This sudden disciplinary action against Chadha comes despite his active presence in Parliament, where he has recently raised several public interest issues ranging from the high cost of tea at airports to the welfare of delivery workers. Chadha, one of the youngest and most prominent faces of the AAP, has been a key figure in the party since its inception, having first met Arvind Kejriwal during the Anna Hazare anti-corruption movement. While he was previously seen as a close confidant of the party leadership, recent reports suggest he has also been excluded from the AAP’s list of star campaigners for upcoming assembly elections in five states.
The AAP currently holds 10 seats in the Rajya Sabha, with seven members representing Punjab and three from Delhi. The party’s request to the Secretariat emphasizes that speaking slots should be redistributed, effectively sidelining Chadha during parliamentary debates. Sources indicate that the party seeks to finalize these leadership adjustments immediately to ensure a unified front in the upcoming sessions.
The move marks a dramatic shift in the political trajectory of Chadha, who previously served as the party’s national spokesperson and treasurer. After a stint in the Delhi Assembly representing Rajendra Nagar, he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab in 2022. As the Secretariat reviews the party’s request, the political circles are abuzz with speculation regarding the internal rift that led to the displacement of one of the party’s most articulate parliamentary voices.
