Who is Ashok Mittal? Lovely Professional University founder-turned MP who replaces Raghav Chadha as AAP's deputy leader in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has written to the Rajya Sabha secretariat seeking the removal of Raghav Chadha as the party’s deputy leader in the Upper House, according to news agency PTI.In its communication, the party has also requested that Chadha should no longer be allotted speaking time in the House from AAP’s quota. Who is Ashok Kumar Mittal?Founder of Punjab’s Lovely Professional University, academic-turned-politician joined active politics in 2022Party sources say Ashok Kumar Mittal, a Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab, is likely to be appointed as his replacement.He was elected to the House in April 2022 and, since then, has been a part of several parliamentary committees, including the Committee on Defence, the Committee on Finance and in February 2026.Responding to the development, Ashok Kumar Mittal said leadership changes within the party are a “continuous process”.“Such changes in leadership positions are a continuous process. Earlier, ND Gupta ji was Deputy Leader, then Raghav ji took over, and now I have been given the responsibility. Tomorrow, someone else may get the opportunity. The party wants every MP and leader to learn and gain experience in different roles, and this responsibility has been given to me to develop administrative and political skills,” he said.On speculation about Raghav Chadha leaving the party, Mr Mittal added, “These are just rumours; such things keep circulating and should not be given importance.”He was made a member of the India- USA Parliamentary Friendship Group. He was also a part of an all-party delegation, led by DMK MP Kanimozhi, which visited Russia, Latvia, Slovenia, Greece, and Spain after the Pahalgam terror attack last year. AAP currently has 10 members in the Rajya Sabha, including seven from Punjab and three from Delhi.Mittal is also the founder of the Phagwara-based Lovely Professional University (LPU) — the first private university in Punjab and one of the largest in India.He is described by the party as a noted academician and social activist and entered active politics the same year he was elected to Parliament.