What social media is saying about Raghav Chadha’s AAP exit: Backlash, memes and sudden drop in followers

“We all feel fortunate that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and with the determination and resolve of Amit Shah, we will continue working tirelessly and relentlessly for the nation,” said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) turncoat and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha as he announced the merger of two-thirds of AAP parliamentarians with the BJP, a party he once called “goondo ki party” or a party of goons.

Chadha, along with six other AAP Rajya Sabha MPs – Swati Maliwal, Ashok Mittal, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta and Vikram Sahney – merged with the BJP, citing differences with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party.

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The move by Chadha, who was one of the most trusted lieutenants of Arvind Kejriwal until he wasn’t, has sparked hilarious reactions on social media, with many users mocking the Rajya Sabha MP for taking the saffron plunge – an ideology he has been vehemently opposed to throughout his career.

“Congratulations Raghav Chadha for becoming Raghav Chaddi,” wrote ChekrishnaCk on X along with a picture of the MP in what appears to be an old RSS uniform, the BJP’s ideological parent organisation.

Another X user questioned his ethics and accused him of hypocrisy. “Raghav Chadha used to lecture on ‘Operation Lotus’, today he has himself become a part of that same muck. What a massive hypocrite he turned out to be!”

Many users shared an old podcast video of Chadha where he purportedly called BJP a “party of goons”.

Some also shared another old video where Chadha is heard boasting about the honesty of him and his former boss Kejriwal. “Aaj tak vo rakam nahi bani hai, aur vo shaksh paida nahi hua jo Raghav Chadha ko, Aam Aadmi Party ko ya Arvind Kejriwal ko kharid sake. (No money or man can buy Raghav Chadha, AAP and Arvind Kejriwal.),” says Chadha in the purported video.

https://twitter.com/gautamhere_/status/2047665311466615092

Reports also claimed that Chadha lost over one million followers within hours of his BJP switch.

The 37-year-old Rajya Sabha MP reportedly had 14.6 million Instagram followers on Friday morning which came down to 13.3 million on Saturday.

His comment section on Instagram was filled with nasty jibes and unfollow requests.

Several X users also said that they have unfollowed Chadha after his BJP switch. “He has betrayed the youth of this country. I have unfollowed him on X,” wrote a user on X.