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Raghav Chadha on Monday announced his exit from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), alleging a “toxic work environment” and claiming that the party’s internal functioning had deteriorated significantly in recent years.
In a self-recorded video statement, Chadha said he had entered politics after leaving a promising career as a Chartered Accountant and had dedicated nearly 15 years of his “prime youth” to building the party, according to ANI.
“I didn’t come into politics to build a career. I became a founding member of a political party. I gave fifteen years of my prime youth to this party,” Chadha said.
However, he alleged that the organisation had changed over time and was no longer functioning in its original spirit.
“But today, this party is no longer the same. There is a toxic work environment. You are stopped from working. You are stopped from speaking in Parliament,” he added.
Chadha further claimed that the party had fallen under the control of “a few corrupt and compromised individuals” who were prioritising personal interests over public service.
“For the last few years, I felt that perhaps I am the right man but in the wrong party,” he said, outlining three options he had considered before deciding to leave.
These included quitting politics altogether, staying within the party to attempt internal reform, or shifting to another political platform to pursue “constructive politics.”
According to ANI, Chadha also stated that seven Members of Parliament had decided to sever ties with AAP, indicating broader dissatisfaction within the party.
“One person can be wrong, two people can be wrong, but seven people cannot be wrong,” he remarked.
He further assured that despite his exit, he would continue raising public issues with “greater energy and commitment.”
BJP Gains Strength in Rajya Sabha
Earlier in the day, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saw its strength in the Rajya Sabha rise to 113 after Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan approved the merger of Chadha and six other MPs who had quit AAP, ANI reported.
The development marks a significant setback for AAP, which has now been reduced to just three members in the Upper House of Parliament.
The MPs — Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, and Ashok Mittal — parted ways with AAP and subsequently joined the BJP in the presence of party leadership.
Other leaders, including Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, and Swati Maliwal, also switched to the BJP.
AAP Challenges Merger, Seeks Disqualification
Meanwhile, AAP MP Sanjay Singh filed a petition with Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan seeking the disqualification of the seven MPs.
The petition challenged the “purported merger” under Paragraph 4 of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution and sought disqualification under Paragraph 2(1)(a).
Paragraph 2 of the Tenth Schedule deals with disqualification on grounds of defection. It states that a member may be disqualified if they voluntarily give up membership of their political party.
However, the Constitution provides an exception: disqualification does not apply if at least two-thirds of a party’s members agree to merge with another party. In this case, the seven AAP MPs fulfilled that requirement by joining the BJP.
Political Reactions
The move has triggered sharp reactions from AAP leaders, who have termed it a “betrayal,” while BJP leaders have welcomed the development.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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