The ongoing rift within the Aam Aadmi Party sharpened on Sunday as Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha pushed back against criticism from his own party, sharing a video to counter claims that he had failed to raise Punjab’s concerns in Parliament.
Posting a three-minute compilation of his speeches in the Rajya Sabha, Chadha sought to counter what he described as a coordinated narrative against him.
“To my colleagues in AAP who were forced to issue videos saying that ‘Raghav Chadha failed to raise Punjab’s issues in Parliament’, here is a small trailer Picture Abhi Baaki Hai,” he wrote.
“Punjab isn’t a talking point for me. It is my home, my duty, my soil, my soul.”
The Aam Aadmi Party leadership in Punjab had earlier taken aim at Chadha, accusing him of failing to raise key state issues in Parliament despite being elected by Punjab MLAs.
In a joint statement, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, state unit chief Aman Arora, and senior leader Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal expressed dissatisfaction over what they described as his silence.
Cheema said Chadha had not raised “even a single sensitive issue” concerning Punjab in Parliament, adding that his “inaction” ran contrary to the party’s principles.
In response, Chadha used the video compilation to showcase his interventions on a wide range of issues, including air pollution, rising airfares, gig workers’ rights and the 28-day validity of mobile prepaid plans.
He maintained that his parliamentary record reflects consistent engagement with public concerns, including those affecting Punjab.
The MP also reiterated that his focus remains on the state and its people, signalling that he intends to continue raising such issues in Parliament.
The party pointed to several pending matters, including Rural Development Fund dues of around Rs 8,500 crore and GST-related losses estimated at nearly Rs 60,000 crore.
Leaders also referred to reduced GST compensation, funding gaps under the National Health Mission, and the Centre’s delay in releasing Rs 1,600 crore in flood relief announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after last year’s floods.
Dhaliwal said flood-affected residents felt ignored, arguing that their concerns had not been raised at the national level.
The confrontation comes days after the Aam Aadmi Party removed Chadha from the post of Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, signalling growing unease within the party.
The leadership also wrote to the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, requesting that Chadha not be allocated time to speak in Parliament.
The move marked a significant shift in the party’s stance towards one of its prominent faces in Parliament.
Chadha is now the second AAP Rajya Sabha MP after Swati Maliwal to have fallen out with the party leadership, pointing to a broader churn within the organisation.
The exchange of accusations and rebuttals has exposed fault lines within the party, even as it continues to govern Punjab.
Source: India Today