AAP taps Ashok Mittal to replace Chadha as Rajya Sabha deputy leader
AAP taps Ashok Mittal to replace Chadha as Rajya Sabha deputy leader
AAP moves to appoint Ashok Mittal as deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, sidelining Raghav Chadha amid a shifting leadership dynamic within the party.
The Aam Aadmi Party has written to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat seeking Ashok Mittal to be appointed as Deputy Leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha, replacing Raghav Chadha. Mittal’s role, the letter notes, will be to discharge his duties sincerely and present the party’s stance and national interests forcefully in the House.
The move comes as the party currently holds ten Rajya Sabha seats, with seven MPs from Punjab and three from Delhi. Chadha, a Punjab MP who was once considered a close confidant of party chief Arvind Kejriwal and played a key role in Punjab and Delhi politics, has recently been less visible at public events and has faced questions about his role in party campaigns. The party stresses that Mittal’s appointment is part of a routine leadership transition and that earlier leaders in the Deputy Leader slot—such as N.D. Gupta—had handed over responsibilities before Chadha assumed the post. Mittal says the national convener has entrusted him with the role and that he will learn the processes and administrative aspects of parliamentary work while defending the party’s positions in the House.
Chadha’s reported sidelining comes amid broader internal reorganizations within the party, even as he continues to speak out on issues outside Parliament, including high airfares and the condition of gig workers. Mittal, founder of Lovely Professional University, emphasizes his aim to carry the party’s voice into the Rajya Sabha, while asserting that the party remains strong and prepared to present its stance forcefully.
