‘Toxic Politics or Timely Exit?’ Raghav Chadha Says He Chose ‘Positive Politics’

After leaving the Aam Aadmi Party to join the Bharatiya Janata Party, Raghav Chadha has been trending across social media, with corporate workers turning his move into memes as an “example of leaving an organisation for growth.” Two days later, he held the same emotions and released his first statement. 

Addressing both supporters and those who may have missed his earlier press conference, he outlined his journey and the factors that led to his exit.

Breaking his silence over his political decision, saying the move was driven by a growing sense of disconnect within his party and a desire to pursue what he called “positive politics.”

“The party today is not what it used to be,” he said, alleging that it has turned into a “toxic work environment” where leaders are restricted from functioning freely and even prevented from speaking in Parliament. He further claimed that the party is now controlled by “corrupt and compromised individuals” working for personal gain rather than national interest.

Chadha recalled that before entering politics, he was a practising chartered accountant with a promising career ahead. However, he chose to step into public life, not for personal advancement but to contribute to a larger cause. As a founding member of the Aam Aadmi Party, he said he devoted 15 years of his youth to building the organisation.

“The first was to leave politics, the second was to stay and try to fix things, which did not work and the third was to take my experience and energy to another platform,” he said.

Chadha added, one, two or three people might be wrong, but not the seven.  He claimed that a total of seven Members of Parliament had decided to sever ties with the party, arguing that such a collective decision reflects deeper issues within the organisation.

Drawing a parallel with corporate workplaces, Chadha compared his situation to employees leaving a toxic work environment. “If your workplace becomes restrictive and suppresses your efforts, the right decision is to move on,” he said.

Reflecting on his decision, Chadha said he had been grappling with the feeling that he might be “the right person in the wrong party.” He outlined three options he had considered: quitting politics altogether, staying back to attempt internal reform, or moving to another platform to continue his political work.

He also sought to reassure the public that his commitment to raising issues affecting ordinary citizens would remain unchanged. “I will continue to raise your concerns with greater energy and passion,” he said, adding that his new platform would also enable him to push for solutions and their implementation.