Raghav Chadha's first post after AAP snub: Rajya Sabha video and evil eye emoji
Raghav Chadha shared a video of his parliamentary interventions on key public issues after being removed as AAP's Rajya Sabha deputy leader.
Hours after being removed as the AAP’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, a move that sparked speculation of a rift within the party, MP Raghav Chadha responded by sharing a compilation of his arguments and interventions in the Upper House on various issues.
The video features the 37-year-old MP raising concerns on a range of issues in Parliament, from air pollution and rising airfares to gig workers’ rights and the 28-day validity of mobile prepaid plans, among others.
Chadha, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha in May 2022, did not add a caption to his video showcasing his parliamentary interventions, instead using a nazar amulet emoji. The nazar amulet is a Mediterranean talisman and some believe that it protects against the “evil eye” and absorbs negative energy.
Earlier in the day, the AAP wrote to the Rajya Sabha secretariat seeking the removal of Chadha as the Arvind Kejriwal-led party's deputy leader in the House, and has proposed Punjab MP Ashok Mittal as his replacement.
The AAP’s letter also mentioned that Raghav Chadha – who was one among the party’s prominent faces in the Rajya Sabha – should not be allotted speaking time from the party’s quota in the House.
The move sparked speculation of a rift within the party, though the AAP leadership maintained that the process was routine and that “everyone should have a chance”.
The move also comes amid Chadha’s alleged silence on matters concerning the AAP, as well as his absence from several public events led by Arvind Kejriwal.
Once regarded as a close confidant of Kejriwal, Chadha played a key role in party affairs, particularly in Punjab and during the AAP’s tenure in Delhi. However, that equation appears to have shifted in recent months.
Chadha was abroad for medical treatment when Kejriwal, then Delhi Chief Minister, was arrested in connection with the excise policy case in March 2024. He remained away during Kejriwal’s nearly six-month incarceration and met him only a few days after his release.
More recently, Chadha maintained silence when Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, and other AAP leaders were discharged by a Delhi court in the excise case last month. He also skipped Kejriwal’s press conference and a rally at Jantar Mantar following the court’s relief.
Nevertheless, he has continued to be vocal both inside and outside Parliament, raising a range of issues and positioning himself as a popular parliamentarian among youngsters, particularly for taking up matters with everyday relevance. Chadha, a Chartered Accountant by career, was also appointed as a member of the parliament’s standing committee on finance in Rajya Sabha.
Ashok Mittal, who replaced Chadha as the deputy leader, termed the removal of his predecessor, Raghav Chadha, as a normal process of the party having no specific reasons behind it. He added that the party will decide about Chadha's role in the upcoming Punjab Assembly polls.
"Everyone gets time to speak in our party; it is a democratic process. Raghav Chadha will also be given time to speak in the Rajya Sabha in the future," Mittal said.
The AAP currently has 10 members in the Rajya Sabha, including seven from Punjab and three from Delhi.