Raghav Chadha Targets AAP, Cites Sheesh Mahal for 2025 Delhi Poll Defeat

Chadha Cites ‘Sheesh Mahal’ as Key Issue

Chadha argued that the political embarrassment of Arvind Kejriwal's chief ministerial residence chipped away at the credibility the party had been trying to build for more than a decade.
"If there was one major reason for the Aam Aadmi Party's loss in the Delhi elections, the Sheesh Mahal was one of the main reasons for the party's defeat. But today, not even a year has passed since the Delhi elections ended, and Sheesh Mahal Part Two has come," he said.

"I wonder how the few remaining good workers of the Aam Aadmi Party will respond when people in the streets and localities ask them questions about Sheesh Mahal. The Aam Aadmi Party should introspect and think about it," he added.

Massive Drop in Chadha's Instagram Followers

Chadha’s decision to quit AAP and join the BJP has reflected on his social media popularity. Data has shown that Raghav Chadha lost nearly 10 lakh Instagram followers in the last 24 hours, a steep fall which is being attributed to the backlash from Gen Z, who had supported him for his relatability and focus on common issues. An icon for Gen Z politics, Chadha’s follower count went from 14.6 million to 13.3 million. The fall is major for a leader whose image is strongly tied to his social media presence, with a particular support base of young urban voters. 

Internal Rift Weakens AAP leadership

A serious blow to AAP, its 7 out of 10 MPs left the party and joined BJP on Friday. AAP alleged that BJP is engaging in "Operation Lotus". This step is taken due to escalation of tensions between Chadha and the party leadership.
Earlier this month he was demoted as AAP’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha after some of the senior members of the party accused him of only "soft PR" instead of tackling the Centre. He had been at loggerheads with the party for a year now, staying out of the country while Kejriwal was arrested for the excise policy scam in March 2024, and even for all the 6 months he was in jail.