Punjab Congress Chief Alleges Raghav Chadha Sidelined Within AAP After Removal as Rajya Sabha Deputy Leader
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring declared on Thursday that the removal of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha as the party's Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha serves as a clear indication that he has been sidelined within the party's internal structure.
Warring's Assertion on Chadha's Political Future
"It is now unequivocally clear that Raghav Chadha stands separate from the Aam Aadmi Party," Warring stated emphatically. "The public recognized this reality long ago, particularly when he traveled to London while Arvind Kejriwal faced arrest. The prevailing public perception now firmly suggests that Chadha will either depart voluntarily or be formally removed from the party, potentially joining another political organization elsewhere."
AAP's Official Leadership Change in Rajya Sabha
The political development saw AAP MP Ashok Kumar Mittal officially replacing Raghav Chadha as the Deputy Leader of the party within the Upper House of Parliament. This administrative change was formally communicated to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, as confirmed by senior AAP MP Sanjay Singh.
"We have duly informed the Rajya Sabha Secretariat regarding the party's definitive decision," Sanjay Singh remarked while reacting to the organizational shift.
Profile of New Deputy Leader Ashok Kumar Mittal
Ashok Kumar Mittal, a Rajya Sabha MP representing Punjab since his election in April 2022, brings substantial parliamentary experience to his new leadership role. His tenure has been marked by active participation on several crucial parliamentary committees, including the prestigious Committee on Defence and the Committee on Finance.
In February 2026, Mittal received additional recognition through his induction into the India–USA Parliamentary Friendship Group, strengthening bilateral legislative ties. Furthermore, he participated in a significant all-party delegation led by DMK MP Kanimozhi that visited multiple European nations—Russia, Latvia, Slovenia, Greece, and Spain—following last year's devastating Pahalgam terror attack.
Raghav Chadha's Parliamentary Contributions and Advocacy
Raghav Chadha, who has served as a Rajya Sabha MP since April 2022 alongside Mittal, has consistently garnered attention for raising pressing public issues during parliamentary sessions. Last month, he brought forth concerns regarding the pervasive practice of "sarpanch pati" or "panchayat pati," where women elected to reserved Panchayat seats frequently serve as mere figureheads while actual authority is exercised by their male relatives.
Chadha passionately urged the government to implement measures ensuring that women representatives in local bodies can exercise genuine authority as originally intended under the transformative 73rd Constitutional Amendment.
In another notable intervention, Chadha raised the critical issue of menstrual hygiene in Parliament, describing it as a multifaceted matter encompassing health, education, and equality that profoundly affects over 35 crore women and girls across India. "If a girl misses school due to the absence of sanitary pads, inadequate water access, or lack of privacy, this represents not merely a personal issue but a collective societal failure," Chadha asserted, highlighting how society has unfortunately transformed a biological reality into a persistent social taboo.
Demonstrating hands-on commitment to understanding grassroots issues, Chadha earlier this year spent an entire day working as a delivery partner amid gig workers' agitation, gaining firsthand insight into the intense pressures and daily challenges faced by workers in the platform economy.
