A day after Raghav Chadha was removed as the party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on openly labelled him as “compromised”.
Speaking in Chandigarh, Mann defended the party’s decision to strip Chadha of his role in the Upper House, asserting that the MP’s recent conduct suggests he is “speaking from another station”.
Mann argued that when a party sets a specific legislative agenda, such as fighting for MSP or protesting the withholding of central funds, but a member instead chooses to prioritise “trivial matters” like airport food prices and pizza delivery times, it raises serious doubts about their loyalty. “Those who break party lines should be subjected to action,” Mann said, framing the removal as a necessary disciplinary measure rather than a routine reshuffle.
This internal rift in the AAP was further fuelled by AAP leader Anurag Dhanda, who launched a stinging attack on Chadha via social media. Dhanda alleged that Chadha has been “scared” for years, specifically citing his hesitation to speak against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his refusal to sign a party proposal against the chief election commissioner. Track latest on Raghav Chadha here
Dhanda criticised the MP for wasting the AAP’s limited parliamentary time on “soft PR” issues, while AAP workers were being arrested in Gujarat.
These accusations of cowardice and non-cooperation have been echoed by other party seniors, who claim Chadha failed to participate in crucial opposition walkouts, effectively distancing himself from the party’s core political battles.
In a defiant response, Chadha characterised the party’s move to deny him speaking time as an attempt to silence the voice of the common man. Defending his focus on everyday concerns like banking charges, tax burdens on content creators, and telecom practices, Chadha questioned if raising public issues had become a “crime” within the party.
He confirmed that AAP has formally requested the Rajya Sabha secretariat to stop him from speaking under the party’s quota, a move he described as a violation of his rights. Despite his replacement by Ashok Kumar Mittal, Chadha issued a stark warning to the party leadership, stating, “Do not consider my silence as my defeat. I am that river which becomes a flood when the time comes.”
Despite his removal from the leadership role, Chadha remains a member of the Rajya Sabha representing Punjab.
www.hindustantimes.com
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