‘Why blame only me?’ Raghav Chadha calls AAP allegations ‘scripted campaign’
Emphasising his role as a parliamentarian, Chadha said he did not enter Parliament to create disruptions but to raise issues concerning the public. “I did not go there to shout, break microphones, or abuse anyone. I went there to raise people’s concerns,” he said.
- Apr 4, 2026,
- Updated Apr 4, 2026 4:43 PM IST
A fresh political rift has surfaced within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha publicly pushed back against allegations made by his own party, calling them part of a “scripted campaign” aimed at targeting him.
Speaking out a day after the controversy intensified, Chadha claimed that a coordinated narrative had been built against him using “the same language, the same words, and the same allegations.” He said he initially chose not to respond but decided to address the accusations because repeated claims could eventually mislead the public.
Chadha said the party cited three reasons to justify not allowing him to speak in Parliament. According to him, the first allegation was that he remained seated in the House when the opposition staged walkouts. He dismissed the claim as “a blatant lie,” asserting that he had always stood with the opposition when such protests occurred.
The second accusation, Chadha said, was that he refused to sign an impeachment motion seeking the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner of India. He rejected this as well, saying no leader from the party had approached him — either formally or informally — to sign the petition. He further argued that several other AAP MPs in the Rajya Sabha had also not signed the motion.
“The party has 10 MPs in the Rajya Sabha and six or seven of them did not sign the motion either. So why is all the blame being placed on me?” Chadha asked, questioning the rationale behind the allegations.
Emphasising his role as a parliamentarian, Chadha said he did not enter Parliament to create disruptions but to raise issues concerning the public. “I did not go there to shout, break microphones, or abuse anyone. I went there to raise people’s concerns,” he said.
The remarks came shortly after the Aam Aadmi Party removed Chadha from the position of deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha and replaced him with Ashok Mittal. The move has sparked rare public friction within the party, which has largely maintained a unified front in Parliament until now.
The party leadership has linked the decision to Chadha’s conduct in the House and his stance on opposition actions, including walkouts and the motion involving the Chief Election Commissioner.
Senior AAP leader Atishi has also sharpened the criticism, questioning Chadha’s silence on key opposition issues and suggesting he appeared reluctant to confront the Bharatiya Janata Party during a politically sensitive moment.
A fresh political rift has surfaced within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha publicly pushed back against allegations made by his own party, calling them part of a “scripted campaign” aimed at targeting him.
Speaking out a day after the controversy intensified, Chadha claimed that a coordinated narrative had been built against him using “the same language, the same words, and the same allegations.” He said he initially chose not to respond but decided to address the accusations because repeated claims could eventually mislead the public.
Chadha said the party cited three reasons to justify not allowing him to speak in Parliament. According to him, the first allegation was that he remained seated in the House when the opposition staged walkouts. He dismissed the claim as “a blatant lie,” asserting that he had always stood with the opposition when such protests occurred.
The second accusation, Chadha said, was that he refused to sign an impeachment motion seeking the removal of the Chief Election Commissioner of India. He rejected this as well, saying no leader from the party had approached him — either formally or informally — to sign the petition. He further argued that several other AAP MPs in the Rajya Sabha had also not signed the motion.
“The party has 10 MPs in the Rajya Sabha and six or seven of them did not sign the motion either. So why is all the blame being placed on me?” Chadha asked, questioning the rationale behind the allegations.
Emphasising his role as a parliamentarian, Chadha said he did not enter Parliament to create disruptions but to raise issues concerning the public. “I did not go there to shout, break microphones, or abuse anyone. I went there to raise people’s concerns,” he said.
The remarks came shortly after the Aam Aadmi Party removed Chadha from the position of deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha and replaced him with Ashok Mittal. The move has sparked rare public friction within the party, which has largely maintained a unified front in Parliament until now.
The party leadership has linked the decision to Chadha’s conduct in the House and his stance on opposition actions, including walkouts and the motion involving the Chief Election Commissioner.
Senior AAP leader Atishi has also sharpened the criticism, questioning Chadha’s silence on key opposition issues and suggesting he appeared reluctant to confront the Bharatiya Janata Party during a politically sensitive moment.