Party reshuffle sparks speculation as AAP defends move as internal restructuring
April 3, 2026: Raghav Chadha has been replaced as the Aam Aadmi Party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, with Ashok Mittal taking over the role. The move has triggered speculation of an internal rift, though the Aam Aadmi Party has described it as part of a routine leadership reshuffle.
While AAP leaders maintained that the decision was aimed at organisational restructuring, the Bharatiya Janata Party alleged that Chadha was being sidelined due to distancing from party leadership, including Arvind Kejriwal. Meanwhile, voices from the Indian National Congress also pointed to Chadha’s recent low public visibility, adding fuel to speculation about internal differences.
Mittal, an industrialist-turned-politician and founder of Lovely Professional University, dismissed the controversy, calling the change a normal democratic process within the party. AAP sources indicated that the decision may also be linked to a strategic focus on Punjab ahead of upcoming elections, with Mittal expected to highlight state-specific issues more prominently in Parliament.