The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has appointed Ashok Mittal, a lawmaker from Punjab, as its new deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. This move signals the replacement of current Deputy Leader Rahul Chadha with a fresh face from Punjab. The party has formally requested the Rajya Sabha Secretariat to facilitate Mittal’s appointment as the new Deputy Leader in the Upper House.
RS MP Sanjay Singh currently serves as the party’s leader in the Rajya Sabha and chairs the AAP parliamentary party. The party has also requested the Secretariat not to allocate time to the outgoing deputy leader. Raghav Chadha, the incumbent deputy leader, has been vocal in addressing public interest issues in recent months.
There have been reports of strained relations between AAP and Raghav Chadha, although both sides have maintained a discreet stance on the matter. Speculation is rife about the MP potentially switching political allegiances ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Punjab. The Aam Aadmi Party holds ten seats in the Upper House, with a significant representation from Punjab, the only state where it holds power.
Among the ten MPs, seven are from Punjab, including Raghav Chadha, Rajinder Gupta, Ashok Kumar Mittal, and others. The party’s lawmakers from Delhi are Swati Maliwal, Narain Dass Gupta, and Sanjay Singh. The replacement of Raghav Chadha by Ashok Mittal underscores the party’s concerns with certain members in the Upper House. Swati Maliwal had previously clashed with party leadership but continues to serve as an AAP MP in the Rajya Sabha.
