Social activist Anna Hazare has reacted sharply after Raghav Chadha and six other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs announced their decision to leave the party and join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Hazare said that in a democracy, individuals are free to take political decisions, but also suggested that the responsibility lies with the party leadership for the mass exit.
“Everyone has the right to hold an opinion in a democracy. They must have faced some trouble, which is why they left,” Hazare told reporters in Maharashtra’s Ahilyanagar district.
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He further added that the leadership should reflect on the situation, saying, “It is their fault. Had the party followed the right way, they would not have left.” Hazare, who once worked closely with Arvind Kejriwal during the 2011 anti-corruption movement, hinted that internal issues may have pushed the leaders away.
Raghav Chadha’s move, along with six other MPs, marks a significant setback for AAP, especially in the Rajya Sabha where it loses a major portion of its representation. Chadha has alleged corruption within the party, claiming it is no longer committed to its founding principles.
“I gave 15 years of my life to AAP. The party has moved away from honest politics,” Chadha said while announcing his exit. The AAP, however, has strongly rejected his claims and called the move a “betrayal” of public trust.
The development follows weeks of internal tension, including Chadha’s removal as deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, signalling widening cracks within the party’s top leadership.
