Raghav Chadha: From Kejriwal’s blue-eyed boy to sidelined aide

The quiet churn within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has set political circles abuzz from Delhi to Punjab. Once considered one of Arvind Kejriwal’s most trusted aides and the party’s ‘poster boy’, parliamentarian Raghav Chadha now appears to be on the sidelines.

The recommendation to remove him from the post of deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha has only confirmed that all is not well within the AAP.

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There was a time when Chadha was seen as Kejriwal’s right-hand man. A chartered accountant by profession, he rose rapidly within the party, achieving in a short span what many seasoned leaders could not. Today, however, he has become something of an enigma within his own party.

From CA to ‘super CM’

The 37-year-old Chadha’s entry into politics is no less exciting than a film's script. After Anna Hazare’s movement in the early 2010s, when the AAP was formed, he left his practice in chartered accountancy (CA) to join Kejriwal. Recognising his capabilities, the party fielded him from the Rajinder Nagar Assembly seat in Delhi in the 2020 polls.

Chadha won handsomely, and his stature grew steadily. Kejriwal entrusted him with the party’s financial management. Following AAP’s sweeping victory in Punjab in 2022, Chadha was sent to the Rajya Sabha from the state. In between, he also served as the vice chairman of the Delhi Jal Board when the AAP was in power in the capital.

Once he entered the Upper House, speculation grew that he was informally controlling the state’s Bhagwant Mann government from behind the scenes. The opposition even dubbed him the ‘super CM’.

Cracks in trust

The obvious question is: how did such deep trust fracture so suddenly? The roots lie in the period when the Delhi liquor policy controversy reached Kejriwal.

When the AAP’s national convener and former Delhi chief minister was in jail, the party needed its sharpest voices. However, Chadha distanced himself at that critical juncture. Citing an eye condition—vitreous detachment—he travelled to London with his actress wife, Parineeti Chopra.

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Within the party, it quickly became a talking point that when the commander was in crisis, his closest lieutenant had left the battlefield and gone abroad.

Liquor case pressure

Party sources claim Chadha’s foreign trip was not solely due to health reasons. His name had also surfaced during the investigation into the alleged liquor scam. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had summoned him for questioning.

Following the arrests of top AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, pressure on Chadha mounted. It is believed he feared possible arrest, which led him to avoid public appearances and protests.

While Kejriwal was battling his case in Tihar Jail, Chadha’s absence sowed seeds of bitterness in their relationship.

Personal life impact

Political observers believe Chadha’s priorities shifted after his marriage to Parineeti. Senior party leaders say her influence is now visible in his political decisions.

His lifestyle, they argue, has begun to resemble that of a ‘celebrity’ rather than a combative politician. From his attire to his manner of speaking, noticeable changes have been observed post-marriage.

Rumours also circulated that he was in touch with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders. While Chadha never addressed these claims publicly, his silence only fuelled speculation.

Party line dissent?

Another major reason for the leadership’s displeasure has been Chadha’s conduct in the Rajya Sabha. The AAP expected him to corner the Centre on pressing issues such as rising LPG prices, unemployment, and foreign policy. But Chadha often chose to speak on topics that aided his personal branding on social media. On several occasions, his statements did not align with the party’s official stance.

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The leadership began to feel that Chadha was no longer acting as a party loyalist but was instead carving out an independent political space.

Signals from Kejriwal

After Kejriwal’s release from jail, his body language made his stance clear. On public platforms, he no longer gave Chadha the prominence he once enjoyed.

Kejriwal took direct control of Punjab affairs and began engaging personally with Chief Minister Mann. Chadha was also eased out of Punjab’s core committee.

Now, with the move to remove him as deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, it is evident that Kejriwal is looking to bet on new faces.

Punjab polls ahead

With Punjab set to go to polls next year, the ruling AAP faces a crucial test. In such a scenario, the marginalisation or possible rebellion of a prominent leader like Chadha could prove damaging.

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Will he join the BJP? Or move towards the Congress? For now, he appears to be in a ‘wait and watch’ mode.

What is clear, however, is that his earlier sheen within AAP has faded. In politics, grace matters—and by stepping away during a moment of crisis, Chadha seems to have lost that crucial edge.

(This article was originally published in The Federal Desh.)