The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has removed Raghav Chadha from his position as the party's Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, India's upper house of Parliament, and requested that he not be allocated speaking time, signaling a dramatic escalation in the internal turmoil engulfing the Delhi-based political party.
The decision, communicated to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat on Tuesday, comes amid growing tensions within AAP following the party's devastating electoral losses in Delhi and Punjab, and represents one of the most visible signs of the power struggle between different factions within the organization.
According to The Times of India, the party leadership cited "disciplinary reasons" for the removal but did not provide specific details about what actions by Chadha prompted the drastic measure. Party sources suggest the move relates to disagreements over strategic direction and Chadha's alleged independent political positioning.
Chadha, 35, has been one of AAP's most prominent young leaders and effective parliamentary performers since his election to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab in 2022. His removal from the deputy leader position—one of the party's most visible parliamentary roles—marks a significant demotion for a leader once seen as part of AAP's future leadership.
In India, as across the subcontinent, scale and diversity make simple narratives impossible—and fascinating. AAP's internal crisis reflects broader challenges facing regional parties as they attempt to transition from anti-establishment movements to established political players managing the complexities of governance and coalition-building.
The timing of the removal is particularly notable. AAP suffered crushing defeats in the February 2026 Delhi assembly elections, losing power after 12 years of governance, and has seen its support erode in Punjab, where it had won a landslide victory in 2022. The party is now searching for explanations and scapegoats for these electoral setbacks.
"There are clear differences emerging between different groups within the party about why we lost and what direction we should take," said a senior AAP leader speaking on condition of anonymity. "Raghav represents one perspective, and the current leadership represents another."
Chadha gained prominence as AAP's national spokesperson and was instrumental in the party's Punjab campaign. His marriage last year to Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra significantly raised his public profile, though some party leaders privately complained that his celebrity status was overshadowing the party's political message.
The request to deny Chadha speaking time in the Rajya Sabha is particularly unusual. While removing someone from a leadership position is the party's prerogative, asking the House not to recognize a sitting member for speaking represents an extraordinary step that effectively marginalizes him in parliamentary proceedings.
AAP founder and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has not publicly commented on the decision, but party insiders suggest the move has his approval. Kejriwal, who recently stepped down as Chief Minister following his arrest in a corruption case—charges he denies as politically motivated—is attempting to restructure the party and assign responsibility for electoral failures.
The decision affects AAP's parliamentary strategy at a crucial time. The party currently has 10 Rajya Sabha members and a handful of Lok Sabha members, giving it limited but potentially significant leverage in parliamentary arithmetic. Chadha had been one of the party's most effective voices in raising issues related to Punjab's agrarian economy and Delhi's governance challenges.
Political analysts view the move as indicative of AAP's broader identity crisis. The party rose to power in Delhi in 2013-2014 on an anti-corruption platform and promises of alternative politics, but has struggled to maintain that distinct identity while dealing with the realities of governance and competition from established parties.
"AAP is a party in search of relevance beyond Delhi, and it's struggling to find that," said Sandeep Shastri, a political analyst and academic. "Internal conflicts like this one with Raghav Chadha suggest a party that doesn't have clarity about its future direction."
Chadha himself has remained largely silent on social media since the announcement, posting only a cryptic message about "serving the people regardless of position." His supporters within the party have expressed concern that targeting popular young leaders could further damage AAP's appeal, particularly among urban middle-class voters who formed the party's original base.
The removal has implications for AAP's prospects in Punjab, where Chadha maintained significant political connections and visibility. The state faces assembly elections in 2027, and AAP is already defensive after its Delhi defeat raised questions about its governance model.
Opposition parties have seized on AAP's internal turmoil. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress have portrayed the incident as evidence of AAP's dysfunction and authoritarian internal culture, contrasting it with the party's earlier rhetoric about democratic politics and collective leadership.
The episode also raises questions about AAP's organizational structure. Despite projections of collective leadership, decisions appear concentrated in a small core group around Kejriwal, leading to complaints about lack of internal democracy—an ironic charge for a party that emerged from an anti-corruption movement emphasizing transparency and accountability.
