Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, often seen as one of the young faces of Indian politics at 37, saw a dip in his popularity if losing followers on social media is considered a yardstick. This happened within hours after he shifted base from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with six other colleagues in the Upper House on Friday (April 24).
Chadha, who had been with the AAP since its inception more than a decade ago and was once its poster boy, took the step amid tensions with the party’s leadership, which also saw him losing his role as the AAP’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. After joining the saffron party, his followers on Instagram plummeted by almost a million — from around 14.6 million to nearly 13.8 million — according to social media tracking data.
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The sharp decline comes amid a visible backlash online, with the hashtag #UnfollowRaghavChadha gaining traction soon after his move to the BJP. It was learned that the fall was mainly driven by reactions from Gen Z.
Gen Z ‘role model’
Chadha had carved out a niche for himself as a youth-centric politician, especially among Gen Z users. His social media strategy focused on issues often ignored in traditional political debates, ranging from paternity leave and rising airport food prices to traffic congestion. This approach helped him build a reputation as someone who spoke about everyday concerns affecting the common man.
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One of his most talked-about moves was briefly working as a Blinkit delivery partner to understand the pressures faced by gig workers. The experiment drew widespread attention and contributed to conversations around delivery timelines, with delivery companies later easing strict 10-minute delivery expectations. Such efforts reinforced his image as an accessible and hands-on leader.
Political shift
However, his political shift appears to have created disappointment among his audience.
Speculation about Chadha’s future had been building for weeks since he was removed as the AAP’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. Soon after his removal, social media users even suggested that he could face backlash if he aligned with another party. There was also buzz that he might launch a political outfit of his own, to which Chadha himself acknowledged by calling it an “interesting thought”.
Also read: Raghav Chadha faces fresh heat from AAP over ‘deleted anti-BJP posts’
His decision to join the BJP has triggered a strong reaction online, with observers saying the drop in followers reflected more than just numbers. According to them, it signalled a sense of disconnect among supporters who once saw him as a reform-driven voice.
The conversation has extended beyond follower counts. One political analyst pointed to a surge in comments urging users to unfollow Chadha, particularly on his older posts. It was also said that the BJP perhaps planned to woo Gen Z with the former AAP leader in their ranks, but it has not been a successful ploy.
Rift with AAP
During the war of words between the AAP and Chadha, the party alleged that the latter had removed earlier content critical of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP.
Also read: AAP calls Raghav Chadha-led MPs’ exit ‘unconstitutional’, seeks their disqualification
Senior AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj also flagged this, noting that only a couple of posts mentioning Modi remain on Chadha’s profile, both of which are now favourable.
Chadha, who is married to actor Parineeti Chopra, has continued to engage online, even sharing a reel in which a user suggested he start a “Gen Z party.”
But whether that digital connect can be rebuilt remains uncertain.
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