Raghav Chadha, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) headline-maker Rajya Sabha MP has been replaces as the party deputy speaker in the House by in a move that has sparked speculation of internal rift.
While party leaders called described the decision of replacing Chadha as Rajya Sabha deputy speaker as part of internal restructuring, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed the move was result of the MP “distancing himself” from party’s national convener and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.
“The way Raghav Chadha has been replaced and sidelined shows that he has distanced himself from the anarchic and corrupt leadership of Arvind Kejriwal,” an earlier HT quoted Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva.
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Congress lawmaker Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said it is now clear that Chadha is separate from the AAP, citing reports that Chadha was away from several public events led by Kejriwal.
Meanwhile, Mittal, who replaces Chadha, termed the move as a normal process of the party having no specific reasons behind it.
On speculation internal rift in the party and chatter of joining the BJP, Mittal said he has no knowledge about rumours that the MP might join the BJP in the wake of being replaced as deputy leader in the House.
Who is Ashok Mittal?
Industrialist-turned-lawmaker Ashok Mittal, AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, is the founder chancellor of Lovely Professional University (LPU). He reportedly also is a chartered accountant by profession.
A native of Punjab’s Jalandhar, Mittal, is a law graduate from Guru Nanak Dev University and also has an honorary Doctorate ‘Honoris Causa’ from Atal Bihari Vajpayee University (ABVU) in Chhattisgarh, according to the bio on his website.
Mittal has in the past received accolades such as the Indian Red Cross Award, Punjab Gaurav Award, Shiksha Ratan Award, National Education Excellence Awards, among others, per the bio.
The AAP currently has 10 members in the — seven from Punjab and three from Delhi. Chadha represents Punjab in the Upper House. Party insiders said that with Punjab going to assembly polls next year, the party wants to give more prominence to the state’s issues in Parliament.
“Raghav Chadha is our senior leader and will continue to remain so. I have taken over from him just as he took over from ND Gupta earlier. AAP is a democratic party and believes in giving opportunities to different leaders to raise important issues,” Mittal said in a press conference after the reshuffle on Thursday.
Expressing gratitude towards his party, Mittal said he is thankful to AAP and Arvind Kejriwal for giving him this opportunity.
With this change, we will be able to raise issues concerning Punjab more effectively in Parliament, especially delays in funds and matters affecting the common people, Mittal said.
