Raghav Chadha
Raghav Chadha (born 11 November 1988) is an Indian politician and chartered accountant who serves as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha since 2022. He is a former Vice Chairman of the Delhi Jal Board and a Member of the Delhi Legislative Assembly from the Rajinder Nagar constituency from 2020 till 2022. Previously an outspoken member of the Aam Aadmi Party from 2012 to 2026, Chadha defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in April 2026, his remarks on the BJP as a "party of illiterate goons" and patron of criminals notwithstanding.
Raghav Chadha | |
|---|---|
 Chadha in 2019 | |
| Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | |
| Assumed office 2 May 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Naresh Gujral |
| Constituency | Punjab |
| Vice Chairman of the Delhi Jal Board | |
| In office 2 March 2020[1][2] – 22 March 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Dinesh Mohaniya |
| Succeeded by | Saurabh Bharadwaj |
| Member of Delhi Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 12 February 2020 – 24 March 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Vijender Garg Vijay |
| Succeeded by | Durgesh Pathak |
| Constituency | Rajinder Nagar |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 November 1988 Delhi, India |
| Party | Bharatiya Janata Party (since 2026) |
| Other political affiliations | Aam Aadmi Party (2012–2026) |
| Spouse |
(m. 2023) |
| Children | 1 |
| Alma mater | University of Delhi Institute of Chartered Accountants of India London School of Economics[3] |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Chartered accountant |
Raghav Chadha (born 11 November 1988) is an Indian politician and chartered accountant who serves as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha since 2022.[4] He is a former Vice Chairman of the Delhi Jal Board and a Member of the Delhi Legislative Assembly from the Rajinder Nagar constituency from 2020 till 2022.[5][6] Previously an outspoken member of the Aam Aadmi Party from 2012 to 2026, Chadha defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in April 2026, his remarks on the BJP as a "party of illiterate goons" and patron of criminals notwithstanding.[7]
Early life
[edit]Born on 11 November 1988 in New Delhi, Chadha received his school education from Modern School (New Delhi) and earned his bachelor's degree in Commerce from University of Delhi (DU) in 2009. He then pursued Chartered Accountancy from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India in 2011.[8] In his early career he worked with accountancy firms including Deloitte and Grant Thornton.[6]
Political career
[edit]Chadha had been a part of the Aam Aadmi Party since its inception.[9] Arvind Kejriwal encouraged him in drafting the Delhi Lokpal Bill in 2012, which was also his first political task.[10] He established himself as the AAP's TV face and also became the youngest national spokesperson of the AAP and one of the youngest across parties.[10]
When AAP won the 2015 Delhi Legislative Assembly election with a majority, Chadha, at the age of 26 was appointed AAP's national treasurer. In April 2018, the then Union Minister of Home Affairs, Rajnath Singh, whose party BJP is a staunch adversary of Chadha's AAP, terminated his appointment as an advisor to Manish Sisodia along with 9 other advisors.[11]
Lok Sabha Election
[edit]In 2019, Chadha contested from the South Delhi Lok Sabha constituency for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He lost in the elections to the BJP candidate, Ramesh Bidhuri.[12][13] Since the 1980s, South Delhi has been a BJP stronghold and represented by individuals like Madan Lal Khurana, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, Sushma Swaraj and Ramesh Bidhuri as well as Balraj Madhok of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the ideological and political predecessor of BJP.[14]
In 2020, as a leader of AAP, Chadha was appointed AAP Punjab co-in-charge for the Punjab Legislative Assembly election in 2022, playing a crucial role in the party's eventual landslide victory, where AAP won 92 out of 117 seats.[15][16]
MLA in Delhi Legislative Assembly
[edit]In February 2020, Chadha contested from Rajinder Nagar in the 2020 Delhi Legislative Assembly election and won against BJP's candidate RP Singh with a margin of 20,058 votes. He polled a massive 57.06% of the total votes.[17] Following the elections, he was appointed vice-chairman of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and where he focused on providing clean, 24x7 piped water supply and cleaning the Yamuna River, significantly improving Delhi's water management systems.
MP in Rajya Sabha
[edit]On 21 March 2022, AAP announced the nomination of Chadha and four other individuals as the Rajya Sabha members from Punjab for a six-year term starting 2022.[18] No opposition candidate opposed their election.[19] This made him the youngest Indian Rajya Sabha MP ever at the age of 33. He was also appointed as a member of the Parliament's Standing Committee on Finance in Rajya Sabha. The committee oversees the laws and policies drafted by three union ministries and the NITI Aayog.[20]
In April 2022, Chadha said that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) settled Bangladeshi people and Rohingyas in Delhi and uses them to cause riots.[21]
Credited with the party's success in Punjab, on 18 September 2022, Chadha was appointed co-in-charge for the 2022 Gujarat Legislative Assembly election.[22] He is appointed as a leader of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Rajya Sabha.[23]
In the wake of Sanjay Singh, who served as the floor leader of the AAP in the Rajya Sabha, becoming incapacitated owing to his inability discharge his responsibilities while in judicial custody under politically-coloured charges, the party leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal requested the chairman of Rajya Sabha to appoint Chadha as AAP's interim leader of the House in early December 2023. However, the request was turned down, as the request reportedly was not in conformity with the applicable legal regime governed by The Leaders and Chief Whips of Recognised Parties and Groups in Parliament (Facilities) Act, 1998 and the Rules made thereunder.[24]
Advisor to the Chief Minister of Punjab
[edit]After AAP's victory in Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann appointed Chadha as the chairman of an advisory panel. A plea challenging his appointment was struck down by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.[25]
Removal as Deputy Leader
[edit]On 2 April 2026, AAP suddenly removed Chadha from the post of its deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, replacing him with Punjab MP Ashok Kumar Mittal. This was said to be the result of Chadha’s prolonged absence from key party events and silence on sensitive issues, sparking speculation of internal rifts.[26][27][28][29]
At the same time, this has also led speculations of his joining BJP.[30][31][32]
While Chadha and AAP leaders traded charges against each other, ex-AAP leader Naveen Jaihind referred to Chadha as Kejriwal's "raazdaar" (keeper of secrets), and claimed that the whole dispute was related to "extortion".[33][34][35][36][37][38]
Defection to the Bharatiya Janata Party
[edit]Amid speculations, Chadha defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party on 24 April 2026, along with 6 other AAP MPs of the Rajya Sabha, despite having previously referred to the BJP as a party of illiterate goons.[39][40]
Positions held
[edit]| Duration | Position[41] |
|---|---|
| February 2020 – March 2022 | Member, Delhi Legislative Assembly (Rajinder Nagar Assembly constituency) |
| Chairman, Committee on Petitions Delhi Legislative Assembly | |
| Chairman, Committee on Peace and Harmony Delhi Legislative Assembly | |
| Vice Chairman Delhi Jal Board | |
| Member, Business Advisory Committee Delhi Legislative Assembly | |
| Member, Committee on Ethics Delhi Legislative Assembly | |
| Member, Committee on Salary and Other Allowances of Members of Delhi Legislative Assembly | |
| April 2022 | Elected to Rajya Sabha |
| September 2022 – June 2024 | Member, Committee on Finance |
| November 2022 – October 2024 | Member, Committee on Subordinate Legislation |
| September 2024 – September 2025 | Member, Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs |
| October 2024 – present | Member, Committee on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme |
| Member, Committee on Papers Laid on the Table | |
| Member, Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Defence | |
| September 2025 – present | Member, Committee on External Affairs |
Personal life
[edit]Chadha got engaged to actress Parineeti Chopra, on 13 May 2023 at Kapurthala House in New Delhi.[42] They were married on 24 September 2023 at The Leela Palace, Udaipur, Rajasthan in a traditional Hindu wedding ceremony.[43][44] The couple welcomed their first child, a boy, on 19 October 2025.[45]
In 2024, Chadha went to London to undergo a vitrectomy surgery. When asked about his long absence, his party colleague Saurabh Bhardwaj claimed that he could have lost eyesight if not for timely operation.[46]
Controversies
[edit]In May 2023, media reports emerged that Chadha's name was mentioned in Enforcement Directorate's (ED) second supplementary chargesheet in the money laundering case pertaining to the 2022 Delhi liquor policy case. Chadha immediately held a press conference in New Delhi to strongly refute the claims, calling the media reports “factually wrong” and part of a “propaganda” to harm his reputation and credibility.[47][48][49][50][51]
On 8 August 2023, five MPs claimed that their names were mentioned on the proposal to send the Delhi NCR Amendment Bill to the Select Committee without their consent, by a motion moved by Raghav Chadha. They accused Chadha of forgery and breach of privilege.[52][53] On 11 August, Chadha was suspended from the Rajya Sabha, for "Gross Violation Of Rules".[54]
In April 2024, Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Amritsar North and former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, made serious allegations against his party's senior leader, Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha. During a rally in Amritsar, Singh accused Chadha of having close associations with at least two Punjab Police officers allegedly involved in supporting the drug trade in the city, describing them as Chadha's blue-eyed boys.[55]
These explosive claims have ignited a political firestorm in Punjab, with opposition parties demanding a thorough investigation. Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar termed the revelations as "incriminating and damning," urging the Election Commission to take cognizance and initiate a probe into Chadha's alleged role in patronizing the drug mafia.[56]
In response to the controversy, the AAP suspended Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh from the party for five years, citing anti-party activities.[57]
Electoral performance
[edit]| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BJP | Ramesh Bidhuri | 687,014 | 56.58 |  11.41
| |
| AAP | Raghav Chadha | 3,19,971 | 26.35 |  9.12
| |
| INC | Vijender Singh | 1,64,613 | 13.56 | 2.20
| |
| NOTA | None of the Above | 5,264 | 0.43 | 0.07
| |
| Majority | 3,67,043 | 30.23 | 20.53
| ||
| Turnout | 12,14,545 | 58.75 | 4.22
| ||
| BJP hold | Swing | 11.41
|
|||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAP | Raghav Chadha | 59,135 | 57.06 | +3.67 | |
| BJP | R. P. Singh | 39,077 | 37.70 | +1.76 | |
| INC | Rocky Tuseed | 4,041 | 4.60 | −4.00 | |
| NOTA | None of the above | 467 | 0.45 | +0.04 | |
| Majority | 20,058 | 19.36 | +1.91 | ||
| Turnout | 1,03,675 | 58.50 | −9.80 | ||
| Registered electors | 1,77,867 | ||||
| AAP hold | Swing | +3.67 | |||
References
[edit]- ^ "AAP MLA Raghav Chadha Appointed Delhi Jal Board Vice Chairman". 2 March 2020.
- ^ "Raghav Chadha takes charge as Vice Chairman of Delhi Jal Board" (PDF) (Press release). Delhi Jal Board. 3 March 2020. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2022.
- ^ "LSE confirming completion of Raghav Chadha's studies at LSE". South Asia@LSE. 30 March 2015. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ "Raghav Chadha Officially Elected to Rajya Sabha as MP".
- ^ "Delhi's water supply situation to improve soon: Jal Board VC Raghav Chadha". LiveMint. Press Trust of India. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
- ^ a b "Who is Raghav Chadha". Business Standard. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
- ^ "'Party of illiterate goons': Raghav Chadha's old video slamming BJP goes viral after he joins party — watch". The Times of India. 24 April 2026. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 25 April 2026.
- ^ "Raghav Chadha, Rajya Sabha Affidavits (ver_6) - Affidavit Information of Candidate". myneta.info. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- ^ "School debate champ, AAP spokesperson & now Rajya Sabha MP: Tracing the rise of Raghav Chadha". ThePrint. 26 March 2022.
- ^ a b "AAP's Raghav Chadha made Punjab unit's co-incharge".
- ^ "Sacked AAP adviser Raghav Chadha refunds Rs 2.5 salary to home ministry". Business Standard India. 18 April 2018 – via Business Standard.
- ^ "Lok Sabha Election result: In South Delhi, BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri marches ahead, and Raghav Chadha distant second". 23 May 2019.
- ^ "Raghav Chadha's decade in politics: From volunteer at anti-corruption movement to youngest Rajya Sabha member". The Indian Express. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- ^ Dutta, Arnab (10 May 2019). "South Delhi: Congress, Aam Aadmi Party all guns blazing in BJP's den". Business Standard India.
- ^ "Ruckus in AAP leader Raghav Chadha's press conference in Jalandhar over ticket distribution". India Today. 7 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ "Punjab: Unhappy over ticket distribution, Raghav Chadha shown black flags". India Today. 8 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
- ^ "AAP's Raghav Chadha wins from Rajinder Nagar with a margin of 20,085 votes". 11 February 2020.
- ^ "AAP's Rajya Sabha List: Ex Cricketer, IIT Professor, Raghav Chadha". NDTV. 21 March 2022.
- ^ "All five nominees of AAP from Punjab elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha". newsonair.gov.in. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
- ^ "AAP's Raghav Chadha, Youngest In Rajya Sabha, Now Part Of Finance Panel".
- ^ "'Bangladeshis & Rohingyas': AAP and BJP find common ground to target each other". Millennium Post. 21 April 2022. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
- ^ "Raghav Chadha appointed AAP's Gujarat co-incharge for Assembly election". The Hindu. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
- ^ "Raghav Chadha New AAP Rajya Sabha Leader, Replaces Jailed Sanjay Singh".
- ^ "Rajya Sabha chairman declines AAP's request to appoint Raghav Chadha as party's interim leader in House". The Telegraph Online. Press Trust of India. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ "Punjab: Why Raghav Chadha's Appointment as Advisor by AAP Govt Is Drawing Flak".
- ^ "AAP drops Raghav Chadha in surprise shake-up". MSN. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
- ^ "AAP removes Raghav Chadha". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
- ^ राघव चड्ढा को AAP ने राज्यसभा में डिप्टी लीडर पद से हटाया [AAP Removes Raghav Chadha from Post of Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha]. Aaj Tak (in Hindi). Retrieved 3 April 2026.
- ^ "Why Raghav Chadha lost AAP's trust: Inside the disconnect between party, Arvind Kejriwal's former protégé". Indian Express. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
- ^ "BJP Join Karenge?". Hindustan. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ^ "AAP's Raghav Chadha faces the music as 'Punjab BJP' rumours persist". The Week. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ^ "Raghav Chadha To Quit AAP And Join BJP? Sanjay Singh Reacts To Speculations". ABP Live. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ^ "'Raghav Chadha was beaten at Kejriwal's residence': Haryana AAP ex-chief claims RS MP flew to England for eye injury treatment". Bhaskar English. 16 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ "Ex-AAP leader Naveen Jaihind calls Raghav Chadha Kejriwal's "raazdaar", says whole dispute related to "extortion"". ANI. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- ^ "Raghav Chadha Beaten In Secret Mansion? Big Claim by Ex-AAP Leader Naveen Jaihind; Alleges 'Money Extortion'". Times Now. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- ^ "'Murga Banake Pita Tha': Former AAP Leader Naveen Jaihind Claims Raghav Chadha Was Beaten At Arvind Kejriwal's Residence". Free Press Journal.
- ^ 'राघव चड्ढा को शीशमहल में मुर्गा बनाकर पीटा गया था', हरियाणा AAP के पूर्व अध्यक्ष नवीन जयहिंद का दावा za ['Raghav Chadha was made to do the "Murga" punishment and beaten up at the Sheesh Mahal,' claims former Haryana AAP President Naveen Jaihind]. Aaj Tak. Retrieved 5 April 2026.
- ^ "Claim: Raghav Chadha was made to assume the 'Murga' position and beaten at Kejriwal's residence. Former Haryana AAP President states: 'He was sent to collect funds from Punjab; the altercation arose over this very issue.'" दावा- राघव चड्ढा को केजरीवाल के घर मुर्गा बनाकर पीटा:हरियाणा AAP पूर्व अध्यक्ष बोले- पंजाब से पैसा इकट्ठा करने भेजा, इसी पर झगड़ा हुआ. Dainik Bhaskar (in Hindi).
- ^ "Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal join BJP after quitting AAP". India Today. 24 April 2026. Archived from the original on 24 April 2026. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
- ^ "'Party of illiterate goons': Raghav Chadha's old video slamming BJP goes viral after he joins party". The Times of India.
- ^ https://sansad.in/rs/members
- ^ "Parineeti Chopra gets engaged to Raghav Chadha, shares first pics: 'Everything I prayed for'". The Indian Express. 13 May 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
- ^ "Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha wedding live updates: Raagrina done with pheras, are now married". Hindustan Times. 24 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ "Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha are now married!". The Times of India. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ "It's a boy! Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha welcome their first child together". The Times of India. 19 October 2025. Archived from the original on 19 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
- ^ "AAP leader on Raghav Chadha: 'Could have lost eyesight, had surgery in UK'". India Today. 30 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ "Another Rift In AAP? Decoding Raghav Chadha Episode And Party's Past Fault Lines". News 18. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ^ "AAP's Blue-Eyed Boy to Political Afterthought: What Happened to Raghav". The Quint. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ^ "Delhi liquor policy case: AAP's Raghav Chadha named in ED's supplementary chargesheet". The Telegraph. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ^ "Delhi excise policy case: Raghav Chadha named in ED supplementary chargesheet". Awaz. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ^ "Raghav Chadha's name mentioned in ED's Delhi excise policy chargesheet; AAP MP reacts". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
- ^ ANI News (8 August 2023). "'May have forged...' 5 Rajya Sabha MPs demand Privilege Motion against AAP MP Raghav Chadha". ANI News.
- ^ "On Amit Shah's Fraud Claim Against AAP Motion, Raghav Chadha Said".
- ^ "Raghav Chadha Suspended From Rajya Sabha Over "Gross Violation Of Rules"". NDTV. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
- ^ Sethi, Chitleen K. (20 April 2024). "Cops linked to Raghav Chadha 'supporting drug trade' — AAP MLA's accusations spark firestorm in Punjab". ThePrint. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
- ^ "Probe Raghav Chadha's role in patronising drug mafia: Punjab BJP chief - www.lokmattimes.com". Lokmat Times. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
- ^ "AAP suspends Punjab MLA Kunwar Vijay for 5 years after he opposes arrest of SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia". The Indian Express. 29 June 2025. Retrieved 7 September 2025.
Further reading
[edit]- "Raghav Chadha's decade in politics: From volunteer at anti-corruption movement to youngest Rajya Sabha member". The Indian Express. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Raghav Chadha at Wikimedia Commons
