Hazare placed the responsibility on the party leadership, indicating that internal issues may have contributed to the exits.
Social activist Anna Hazare (Photo/ANI)
A day after Raghav Chadha resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) along with six other MPs, social activist Anna Hazare said that everyone in a democracy has the right to hold an opinion. However, he also stated that changing a party for selfish needs is not right.
“Leaving one party and joining another party is not right… Changing political parties for our selfish needs is not the right thing. This is not mentioned in our Constitution. Our Constitution is supreme. Our country functions based on the Constitution,” Hazare said.
Hazare placed the responsibility on the party leadership, indicating that internal issues may have contributed to the exits. “It is their (AAP leadership’s) fault. Had that party followed the right way, they would not have left,” he said. He repeated the point, adding, “Had the party gone in the right direction, they would not have quit the party.”
“They (Chadha and others) must have faced some trouble, which is why they left,” he added.
He further noted that political departures should be seen in a broader democratic context. “There must be some or the other reason (for their leaving AAP). In a democracy, every person has a view about where to stay and leave,” Hazare said.
Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal had worked closely during the 2011 anti-corruption movement, where Kejriwal was part of the protests and fasts led by the veteran activist in Delhi.
The remarks come shortly after Chadha announced his decision to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with six other AAP Rajya Sabha MPs. Their move represents a two-thirds split in the party’s Upper House strength.
While Chadha cited corruption within AAP as the main reason for his departure, the party has strongly criticised the move, calling it a betrayal of the people of Punjab. Chadha currently represents the state in the Rajya Sabha.
Addressing a press conference earlier, the 37-year-old leader made serious allegations against the party leadership. “I gave the AAP 15 years of my life. Now the party has stepped away from honest politics. I am moving away and going close to the people. Today, the AAP is corrupt and compromised. It is not the old party. I don’t want to engage in the wrongdoings of AAP,” he said.
His exit follows a recent internal dispute. Earlier this month, AAP removed Chadha as its deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. The party also requested the Chairman not to allocate him speaking time from its quota, signalling a widening rift.
Chadha later responded through video messages, describing the actions against him as a “scripted campaign” and a “coordinated action”.
April 25, 2026, 15:53 IST
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