NEW DELHI: The appointment as Punjab in-charge of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and senior AAP leader, Manish Sisodia, on Friday led to discussions about Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha being relieved of his responsibilities in the state.
A post on social media platform X claimed: "The Aam Aadmi Party has removed Raghav Chaddha from the post of Punjab in-charge. Former MLA Manish Sisodia, who is accused in the liquor scam, has been appointed as the new in-charge of Punjab."
The speculation has, however, been contradicted by party sources and observers who closely follow Punjab politics. They have clarified that the reality is far from what is being portrayed.
Raghav Chadha was appointed as the Punjab co-incharge in December 2020.
After AAP assumed power in Punjab in 2022, he stepped down from this role.
He was subsequently appointed as an advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s government.
In December 2022, then Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal had congratulated Raghav Chadha on being appointed as co-incharge of party's Punjab unit.
"Congratulations and best wishes to Raghav Chadha for being appointed as seh-prabhari of Punjab, " the CM had tweeted then. But after AAP came to power, Raghav was given a different role in 2022.
A statement released by the Chief Minister's Office in July 2022 provides significant clarity on the matter.
The statement read: “Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has appointed Raghav Chadha -- Aam Aadmi Party's member from Rajya Sabha -- as the Chairman of Advisory Committee to the state government. He will oversee the 'conception and implementation of pro-people initiatives of the AAP government in Punjab and advise the government on matters of finance'.”
With this clarification, sources have firmly stated that there is no question of Raghav Chadha being removed from the post of Punjab in-charge.
Instead, Jarnail Singh, who had been holding the post, has now been replaced by Manish Sisodia.
The reshuffle is part of a larger strategic effort by AAP to strengthen its organisational structure. Despite suffering a setback in the February 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, where the party secured just 22 out of 70 seats, AAP is now focusing on rebuilding its base for future polls.
The leadership reshuffle includes several key changes: former Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj has been appointed as the new head of AAP's Delhi unit, while Manish Sisodia will take charge of the Punjab unit. In another major change, Gopal Rai has been appointed as the in-charge of the Gujarat unit.
These leadership changes come as the party is focused on strengthening its position in key states such as Gujarat, Punjab, Goa, and Chhattisgarh, among others, ahead of the crucial elections in the near future.