Dhankhar declines Kejriwal's request to make Raghav Chadha interim AAP leader in Rajya Sabha

Sanjay Singh, whose Rajya Sabha term ends on January 27, will remain the AAP floor leader till the party submits a fresh letter, sources said.

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has rejected the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s request to name Raghav Chadha as its interim leader in the Upper House citing that there is no such provision in a law governing floor leaders, sources said on Friday.

AAP sources said Rajya Sabha officials have suggested some correction in the letter party chief Arvind Kejriwal sent to the Chairman for nominating Chadha as the interim leader in place of Sanjay Singh who is presently in judicial custody in a money laundering case. They said the issue will be addressed soon and a fresh communication will be sent.

According to Rajya Secretariat officials, Dhankhar responded to Kejriwal's letter on Chadha and cited the 'The Leaders and Chief Whips of Recognised Parties and Groups in Parliament (Facilities) Act 1998' and the Rules made thereunder to turn down the request. Dhankhar wrote, "The request, not being in conformity to applicable legal regime, is not being acceded to."

Sources said Singh, whose Rajya Sabha term ends on January 27, will remain the AAP floor leader till the party submits a fresh letter.

In the letter to Dhankhar dated December 14, Kejriwal had written: "I would like to propose the name of Mr Raghav Chadha as the interim party leader in the Rajya Sabha until further changes are deemed necessary. We request that this change be allowed as per the rules and procedures of the Rajya Sabha."

The 35-year-old MP is one of the youngest in Rajya Sabha. He is one of the ten MPs of AAP and was elected from Punjab in March 2022. He was also part of the team that propelled AAP's victory in Punjab and was later made co-incharge of the party in Gujarat ahead of Assembly elections.

A chartered accountant, Chadha was also appointed by the AAP government in Punjab as an advisor “overseeing” the conception and implementation of pro-people initiatives of the state administration and “advising” it on matters of finance.

The appointment had attracted criticism that Chadha, who is close to party supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, was being made the 'super Chief Minister' above Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.