New Delhi, April 4, 2026 — The internal rift within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has spectacularly spilled out into the open. A day after the party officially dropped Raghav Chadha from his position as the Deputy Leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha, the Punjab MP has hit back with a fiery response, dismissing the party’s claims against him as “three allegations, zero truth.”
The AAP leadership has reportedly written to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat requesting that MP Ashok Mittal be appointed as the new Deputy Leader in the Upper House, replacing Chadha. The move comes amid a growing distance between Chadha and the party’s senior leadership during what has been described as an existential crisis for the AAP.
“The River That Turns Into a Flood”
Breaking his silence following his removal, Raghav Chadha issued a stark warning to his party. Responding to the mounting attacks from his colleagues, the MP stated that the party leadership should not mistake his silence for defeat, warning them that he is “the river that turns into a flood.“
The fallout has triggered a bitter public war of words. Senior AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj openly mocked Chadha’s stance, specifically accusing him of avoiding any direct confrontation with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Quoting a popular cinematic line to criticize Chadha’s alleged silence, Bharadwaj remarked, “Jo darr gaya, samjho marr gaya” (Those who are afraid are as good as dead).
Speculation of Joining the BJP
The friction between Chadha and the AAP leadership has been simmering for months. Party insiders have accused the young MP of conspicuously distancing himself from major party events, meetings, and street protests, particularly during the turbulent period when top leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia were dealing with arrests and legal battles.
According to reports, several AAP leaders have openly discussed the “logical possibility” of Chadha crossing over to join the BJP. Party sources allege that Chadha has been trying to “enhance his profile in the Rajya Sabha” rather than fighting for the AAP during its most difficult political chapter.
Chadha, whose Rajya Sabha term runs until 2028, has vehemently denied the rumors and the narrative pushed by his party, summarizing the ongoing attacks against him as entirely baseless. As the public feud escalates, the political landscape in Delhi remains highly volatile, with all eyes on Chadha’s next political move.
