BJP Slams AAP Over Raghav Chadha’s Removal from Rajya Sabha Post

New Delhi, April 2026 : Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva on Thursday criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership over the removal of Raghav Chadha as Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, calling the move a reflection of “anarchy” within the party led by Arvind Kejriwal.

Sachdeva said that while appointing parliamentary group leaders is the internal prerogative of a party, the manner in which Chadha has been replaced raises serious questions about the functioning of AAP. He alleged that Chadha has not only been removed from his position but that the party has also written to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat urging that he not be given time to speak in the House.

According to the BJP leader, this action suggests that Chadha is being penalised for distancing himself from what he described as the “anarchic and corrupt leadership” of Kejriwal. He further claimed that this was not an isolated case, pointing to the earlier treatment of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, who had reportedly faced similar issues within the party.

Sachdeva argued that both Maliwal and Chadha were among the foundational figures of AAP but have since moved away from the party’s day-to-day functioning. He described Kejriwal as a “weak leader” who, according to him, is unwilling to tolerate dissent, whether from within the party or from political opponents.

Taking a sharper dig, Sachdeva said that if the party leadership had any moral authority, it would have taken a clearer stand by either addressing internal differences transparently or formally removing dissenting leaders instead of sidelining them.

The remarks come shortly after AAP appointed Ashok Mittal, a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, as its new Deputy Leader in the Upper House. The move effectively replaces Chadha in the role.

Sources indicate that the Kejriwal-led party has communicated with the Rajya Sabha Secretariat regarding Chadha’s role in House proceedings, though there has been no official public clarification from AAP on the matter.

In recent months, Chadha has been active in raising issues of public interest in Parliament. He has spoken on matters affecting gig workers and has also highlighted consumer concerns related to telecom data plans, earning attention for his interventions.

Currently, Sanjay Singh serves as AAP’s leader in the Rajya Sabha and also heads its Parliamentary Party. The party has a total of 10 members in the Upper House, with a significant majority representing Punjab—the only state where AAP is currently in power.

Of the 10 MPs, seven are from Punjab, including Chadha, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Harbhajan Singh and Sant Balbir Singh. The remaining members from Delhi include Maliwal, Narain Dass Gupta and Sanjay Singh.

The controversy has added a new dimension to the ongoing political tussle between BJP and AAP, with opposition parties closely watching developments within the ruling party’s parliamentary ranks.