Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) parliamentarian Raghav Chadha mounted a spirited defense on Sunday against allegations from his own party’s Punjab unit that he neglected state-specific issues during his time as the party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. The rebuttal came just a day after Chadha was ousted from the position, amid what appeared to be a coordinated critique from Punjab AAP leaders. In a pointed social media post, Chadha shared a video montage of his parliamentary speeches, highlighting his efforts to address key Punjab concerns, including demands for heritage city status for Anandpur Sahib, minimum support price (MSP) guarantees for farmers, a proposed corridor to Shri Nankana Sahib, and measures to combat air pollution. Taking a direct jab at his detractors, he captioned the video with a message to his “colleagues in AAP who were forced to issue videos” claiming he failed to represent Punjab, calling it a “small trailer” and teasing that “Picture Abhi Baaki Hai” (the full picture is yet to come). Emphasizing his personal connection, Chadha declared, “Punjab isn’t a talking point for me. It is my home, my duty, my soil, my soul.” This response underscores growing internal tensions within AAP, following reports of Chadha deleting old social media posts critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, which further fueled party discord.
The criticism originated from a joint statement by prominent Punjab AAP figures, including Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, state party chief Aman Arora, and senior leader Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, who labeled Chadha’s alleged inaction as “disappointing” and inconsistent with the party’s principles. They accused him of remaining silent on critical financial and relief matters, despite being elected to the Rajya Sabha by Punjab MLAs. Cheema specifically pointed to unresolved issues like ₹8,500 crore in pending Rural Development Fund (RDF) dues, ₹60,000 crore in GST-related losses, changes in GST compensation, and funding shortfalls under the National Health Mission. He also highlighted the central government’s incomplete disbursement of a ₹1,600 crore flood relief package announced by PM Modi after last year’s devastating floods in Punjab, noting that Chadha did not raise these in Parliament. Arora echoed the sentiment, stressing that AAP’s ethos demands fearless advocacy for public issues, and any lapse is “unexpected.” Dhaliwal added that flood victims in Punjab feel resentment over unaddressed compensation concerns, which they expected their representative to champion nationally. The episode reflects broader challenges for AAP in balancing national ambitions with regional priorities, especially as the party navigates internal dynamics and electoral pressures in Punjab.