From a sharp personal jibe to claims of a year-long conspiracy, AAP’s response to Raghav Chaddha’s exit has escalated tensions, bringing out detailed accusations and counter-claims over his political shift.
The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday launched a sharp attack on former leader Raghav Chadha after he explained his decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party, with senior leader Saurabh Bharadwaj accusing him of betraying the party and going personal in his criticism.
“If you could get married today, that is because the party made you a member of Parliament. Otherwise, no one would have asked you,” Bharadwaj said.
He added that Chadha had the right to leave the party but questioned his conduct. “You could have left the party, but you chose to conspire against it. No matter how angry you were, you should not have done this,” he said.
‘DON’T COMPARE POLITICS WITH JOBS’
Responding to Chadha’s analogy of switching parties like changing jobs, Bharadwaj said, “When we change jobs or work in a company, it has nothing to do with ideology. You join a party because of ideology and live in it.”
He added, “Even when people switch jobs, they don’t conspire against their parent company.”
Response to Raghav’s Video
Raghav Chaddha says his changing party is like someone switching a job from one company to another.
Though it’s not the same but even when people switch jobs, they don’t hatch conspiracy against their parent company
For more than a year, Raghav… pic.twitter.com/RxfnTsv9Ms
— Saurabh Bharadwaj (@Saurabh_MLAgk) April 27, 2026
‘CONSPIRACY WITH BJP’
Bharadwaj alleged that Chadha had been working in tandem with the BJP for over a year.
“For more than a year, Raghav conspired with the BJP’s Central government to create a neutral image of a young politician who raises middle class issues,” he said.
He claimed that several issues raised by Chadha, including matters related to airport vendors, mobile recharge, paternity leave and gig workers such as those working with food delivery platforms, were part of a larger understanding.
“The Central government shared these issues so that if you raise them, your popularity would increase and you would get a neutral image,” he alleged.
‘REPEATED COMPLAINTS, STILL NO CONTRADICTION’
Bharadwaj said the Centre never contradicted Chadha’s interventions in Parliament.
“The Central government always had a chance to say that what Raghav is saying is already their work, but it was never contradicted. Why? Because there was a conspiracy,” he said.
CHADHA’S EARLIER STATEMENT
Yesterday, Chadha had addressed criticism over his decision, saying he had spent 15 years with AAP and was a founding member.
“I didn’t come into politics to make my career. I gave 15 years of my prime youth to this party with my blood, sweat, and a lot of hard work,” he said.
Explaining his move, he said he felt “the right man, but in the wrong party”.
“We did not leave out of fear but because of disappointment, disenchantment, and disgust,” he said.