Raghav Chadha on Monday posted a video on social media, explaining his decision to quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and also addressing the criticism surrounding his move to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In the video shared on Instagram, Chadha said he had been receiving a large number of messages following his announcement. He said, 'For the past three days, I have been getting a lot of messages from all of you. Most of you are giving me best wishes and congratulating me. And some people want to know the reasons behind my decision.'
Chadha said he had devoted 15 years of his youth to AAP, describing himself as a founding member of the organisation. He said, 'I didn't come into politics to make my career. I became a founding member of a political party. I gave 15 years of my prime youth to this party with my blood, sweat, and a lot of hard work.'
He went on to sharply criticise the current functioning of the party, alleging that it had changed over time and was no longer the organisation it once was. He said, 'Today, this party is no longer the old party. Today, this party has a toxic work environment. You are stopped from working. You are stopped from speaking in the parliament.'
Explaining his decision, Chadha said he felt increasingly out of place within the party and described himself as 'the right man, but in the wrong party.' He said he had considered multiple options, including exiting politics entirely, attempting internal reform, or shifting to another political platform, ultimately choosing the latter.
He also claimed that the decision was not isolated, stating, 'Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six—seven MPs have decided to break their relationship with this political party.' He added, 'One person can be wrong, two people can be wrong, but not seven people can be wrong.'
Responding to criticism that the exit was driven by pressure or fear, Chadha rejected the allegation. He said, 'We did not leave out of fear but because of disappointment, disenchantment, and disgust.'
He further asserted that despite leaving AAP, he would continue his political engagement and public outreach, stating, 'I will continue to raise your problems with more energy and enthusiasm.'
Within 24 hours of announcing his exit from AAP and joining BJP, Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha reportedly saw a sharp decline in his Instagram following, losing over 1 million followers, a number that later increased to a significant 2 million. His move also triggered a strong backlash on social media, with several of his supporters criticising his decision to join the BJP. In addition, his old video clips and past statements in which he had criticised the BJP resurfaced online, further intensifying the debate around his political shift.
