AAP Leadership Shuffle: Ashok Mittal Replaces Raghav Chadha in Rajya Sabha, Denies Rift
NEW DELHI – In a significant reshuffle within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Ashok Mittal has stepped into the role of Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, taking over from the younger, often high-profile, Raghav Chadha. But if you’re looking for drama, Mittal says there isn’t any. In fact, he claims Chadha himself was among the first to offer congratulations.
Mittal, a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab since April 2022, found himself unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight. He was in the middle of a supplementary question on ‘Green Cover’ when the party’s Upper House leader, Sanjay Singh, pulled him aside with the news. “You will now replace Raghav Chadha as the Deputy Leader,” Singh reportedly told a surprised Mittal.
Emerging from the session, Mittal recalled, “When I stepped out after asking my question – sometime around one o’clock – Raghav Chadha was the very first person among those offering congratulations.” He was quick to downplay any suggestions of a party rift or a major shake-up, calling the change a perfectly routine affair. This isn’t the first time, he noted, as ND Gupta held the deputy leader’s post before Chadha.
The party, it seems, views this as a training exercise for its parliamentarians. “Now, I have been given this role. Our party wants all MPs to learn, and probably in that context, I have been given this role so that I can learn the processes and administrative skills in politics,” Mittal explained, emphasizing the party’s continued strength and unity.
Who is Ashok Mittal?
Ashok Mittal, 61, is more than just a parliamentarian; he’s the Chancellor of Lovely Professional University. His parliamentary journey has seen him serve on key committees, including Defence and Finance. Just this past February, he joined the India-USA Parliamentary Friendship Group, highlighting his growing engagement on national and international fronts. Last year, he was even part of an all-party delegation, led by DMK MP Kanimozhi, that toured several European nations in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
AAP’s Presence in the Upper House
The Aam Aadmi Party boasts a contingent of ten members in the Rajya Sabha. Punjab, the only state where AAP currently holds power, accounts for the majority, with seven MPs: Raghav Chadha, Rajinder Gupta, Ashok Kumar Mittal, Sandeep Kumar Pathak, Vikramjit Singh Sahney, Harbhajan Singh, and Sant Balbir Singh. The remaining three represent Delhi: Swati Maliwal, Narain Dass Gupta, and Sanjay Singh.
This leadership change comes amidst ongoing whispers surrounding Raghav Chadha’s standing within the party. Once seen as a close confidante of Arvind Kejriwal and one of the youngest, most vocal MPs, Chadha has recently faced speculation about his absence from crucial party events and a perceived distance from the leadership. He is now the second AAP Rajya Sabha member, after Swati Maliwal, to experience such a noticeable shift in his role or relationship with the party high command.
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