Social activist Anna Hazare has responded to Raghav Chadha’s exit from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), saying that individuals have the right to take political decisions while also questioning party leadership.

Hazare backs individual choice in democracy

Firstly, Hazare said that in a democracy, every person has the freedom to form opinions and make political choices. He suggested that leaders who leave a party usually face internal issues.

"Everyone has the right to hold an opinion in a democracy. They (Chadha and others) must have faced some trouble, which is why they left," Hazare said while speaking in Maharashtra, according to Press Trust of India.

Blames party leadership for exits

Moreover, Hazare placed the responsibility on the party leadership. He said that if a party follows the right path, leaders would not feel the need to leave.

"It is their (AAP leadership's) fault. Had that party followed the right way, they would not have left," he said.

"Had the party gone in the right direction, they would not have quit the party," Hazare added.

He further explained that such political exits always have deeper reasons and should be understood within the broader framework of democracy.

"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," he said.

Old ties with Kejriwal

Meanwhile, Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal share a long association. Both worked closely during the 2011 anti-corruption movement, where Kejriwal supported Hazare during protests and hunger strikes in Delhi.

Chadha joins BJP with major split

Hazare’s remarks came after Chadha announced that he would join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with six other AAP MPs. This move led to a major split, with nearly two-thirds of AAP’s strength in the Rajya Sabha breaking away.

Chadha, who represents Punjab in the Rajya Sabha, accused the AAP leadership of corruption as the main reason for his departure. However, the party described his move as a “betrayal” of the people of Punjab.

Chadha levels serious allegations

Earlier, Chadha addressed a press conference where he formally resigned from the party after 15 years. He made strong allegations against its 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.

Rift with party leadership

Furthermore, Chadha’s exit follows tensions within the party. Earlier this month, AAP removed him as its deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, which exposed internal differences. The party also requested that he should not be given speaking time from its quota in the House.

In response, Chadha released video messages calling the move a “scripted campaign” and a “coordinated action” against him.