Saurabh Bharadwaj Criticises Raghav Chadha Over 'Toxic Workplace' Claims

AAP Delhi unit chief Saurabh Bharadwaj has criticised Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha for comparing his former party to a "toxic workplace" following his defection to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The exchange follows an announcement on April 24 that Chadha and six other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha members were joining the ruling party. Reported PTI, the Rajya Sabha chairman approved the merger on Monday, raising the BJP's tally in the Upper House to 113, while the AAP is now left with three members.

In a video statement explaining his departure, Chadha had said: "If the atmosphere at the workplace becomes toxic, employees are stopped from working, their hard work is suppressed and they are silenced, then the right decision is to leave that place."

Bharadwaj countered this by arguing that political organisations are founded on ideology, unlike corporate entities. In a video shared on X, he stated: "There is nothing to do with ideology in changing a company. But if someone agrees with the ideology of a political party, only then does he join it."

According to PTI, Bharadwaj asserted that departing staff in a company typically uphold professional ethics. "If an employee leaves a company, he serves a three-month notice period so that whatever he has learnt from that company can be properly transitioned. They do not conspire to ruin the company's image," he said.

Bharadwaj further alleged that instead of exiting the party in a respectful manner, Chadha had conspired to damage the AAP’s image while planning his transition to the BJP. He claimed that the move was motivated by pressure from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Additionally, the AAP leader suggested that several topics raised by Chadha in Parliament—including paternity leave, gig workers' rights, mobile-recharge concerns, and affordable food at airports—were already aligned with the BJP's political agenda.

PTI reported that besides Chadha, the other Rajya Sabha members to depart the AAP were Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Swati Maliwal, and Vikramjit Sahney.

(With inputs from PTI)