New Delhi: A day after Raghav Chadha quit the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and joined the BJP, the Rajya Sabha MP appeared to face a sharp backlash on social media, with reports claiming he lost nearly one million Instagram followers within 24 hours.
According to reports, Chadha’s Instagram following dropped from around 14.6 million to nearly 13.5 million on Saturday.
While Instagram does not publicly release real-time follower data, the repo
rted decline has triggered widespread discussion online.
The backlash is being linked largely to younger supporters, many of whom had seen Chadha as a modern, relatable political figure. Over the years, he built a following by raising everyday concerns such as paternity leave, airport food prices, traffic congestion, mobile data limits and the struggles of gig workers.
Chadha had also drawn attention for spending a day as a delivery partner to understand the challenges faced by gig workers, an exercise that helped strengthen his image among urban youth.
His dramatic switch to the BJP came after growing tensions within AAP and his recent removal as the party’s deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha. On Friday, Chadha formally joined the BJP along with six other AAP Rajya Sabha MPs, dealing a major blow to Arvind Kejriwal-led party