New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha has said that he and six other MPs who moved away from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were motivated by what he described as a “toxic work environment” within the party.

In a video statement shared on social media on Monday, Chadha said he had been receiving messages questioning his decision to leave AAP, with some congratulating him and others seeking clarification.

He said he had entered politics after leaving a successful career as a chartered accountant and had spent 15 years building the party as a founding member. “I didn’t come into politics to make my career,” he said, adding that he had dedicated his “blood, sweat and tears” to the organisation.

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Chadha alleged that over time the party had changed, claiming leaders were being prevented from working and speaking in Parliament. He further accused certain individuals within the party of acting in their own interest rather than for the public good.

“For the past few years, I felt I was the right man in the wrong party,” he said, explaining that he and six other MPs ultimately decided to move on.

Drawing an analogy with a toxic workplace, Chadha said remaining in such an environment where work is restricted and voices are silenced was not sustainable.

He added that he would continue to focus on public issues and pursue “positive politics” in his new political alignment.

Chadha, along with Sandeep Pathak, Ashok Mittal, Harbhajan Singh, Rajinder Gupta, Swati Maliwal and Vikramjit Sahney, recently moved away from AAP. The Rajya Sabha Chairman has since approved their merger with the BJP, increasing its strength in the Upper House.

The AAP has not yet issued a detailed response to the allegations.