The Aam Aadmi Party has removed Raghav Chadha as its deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha and requested the Upper House not to allot him speaking time from the party’s quota. The move signals a shift in the party’s parliamentary strategy, with Ashok Mittal proposed as the new deputy leader.
Raghav Chadha Removed as AAP’s Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha
Sources confirmed that the Aam Aadmi Party has written to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat requesting Chadha’s removal from the post. The party has also urged the secretariat to formalize the appointment of Ashok Mittal as the new deputy leader at the earliest.
The AAP currently holds 10 seats in the Rajya Sabha, including seven from Punjab and three from Delhi.
Raghav Chadha, a Member of Parliament representing Punjab, has been with the Aam Aadmi Party since its inception, initially working with Arvind Kejriwal on the Delhi Lokpal Bill in 2012. He quickly ascended within the party, becoming a national spokesperson and later its youngest treasurer following AAP’s 2015 Delhi election victory.
Chadha contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls from South Delhi, losing to Ramesh Bidhuri, before winning the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections from Rajendra Nagar. He subsequently served as vice-chairman of the Delhi Jal Board.
In 2022, Chadha became the youngest Rajya Sabha MP at the age of 33 and played a key role in AAP’s parliamentary and organizational affairs, working alongside leaders such as Manish Sisodia and Bhagwant Mann. In 2023, he was designated as AAP’s leader in the Rajya Sabha, replacing Sanjay Singh.
Chadha has frequently brought public issues to the forefront in the Rajya Sabha. Last month, he raised concerns about the practice of “sarpanch pati” or “panchayat pati,” where women elected to reserved Panchayat seats often have their authority undermined by male relatives. He urged the government to ensure women representatives can function independently.
He also highlighted menstrual hygiene in Parliament, framing it as an issue of health, education, and equality affecting over 35 crore women and girls. Chadha argued that limited access to sanitary pads, water, and privacy, leading to school absenteeism, represents a systemic failure and criticized the social stigma surrounding menstruation.
Earlier this year, Chadha worked as a delivery partner for a day to gain firsthand understanding of the challenges faced by gig workers during protests in the sector.
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