Within 24 hours of the announcement, he experienced a significant drop in his Instagram followers. A report from News18 indicated that his follower count decreased by nearly one million, falling from 14.6 million on Friday to approximately 13.4 million by Saturday afternoon.
Signs of a potential departure had appeared after Raghav Chadha was dismissed as AAP’s Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha, though the reaction on social media seems to relate more to his choice to align with the BJP.
Political analysts suggest that this backlash is primarily fueled by younger users, especially Gen Z, who once constituted a robust support base for the 37-year-old leader.
Commentators have noted a coordinated online backlash, with an ‘unfollow’ trend gaining momentum across various platforms. This episode illustrates how rapidly public opinion can change in the digital era, where popularity can diminish almost overnight.
In a post on X, NCP (SP) spokesperson Anish Gawande commented, “A viral Gen Z ‘unfollow’ campaign on Instagram has resulted in Raghav Chadha‘s follower count dropping by 10 lakh in just 24 hours. The internet can elevate you to hero status overnight. It can also bring you down to zero just as fast.”
A viral GenZ “unfollow” campaign on Instagram has led to Raghav Chadha’s followers dropping by 10 lakhs in 24 hours.
The internet can make you a hero overnight. The internet can also bring you down to zero overnight …
— Anish Gawande (@anishgawande) April 25, 2026
A user remarked, “Itni tez rupaye ki keemat nhi girti, jitni tez iske Instagram Followers gir rahe hain. Almost 1 million unfollowed after he joined BJP.” Another noted, “One million!! Data shows that Raghav Chadha lost nearly one million followers on Instagram in under 24 hours after his shock switch to the BJP.”
Chadha had previously built a reputation as a youth-centric leader, often addressing everyday issues like gig economy challenges, telecom problems, and work-life balance, fostering a strong connection with younger voters.
His past initiatives, including a brief stint as a delivery partner to grasp ground realities better, further solidified this image.
At one point, this rapport even sparked suggestions that he could lead a Gen Z-focused political party. However, his recent switch has dramatically altered that perception.
The backlash is also visible in trending hashtags and critical remarks on his posts. Numerous public figures and political commentators have noted shifts in his social media activity and messaging post-switch.
Earlier this month, senior AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj highlighted that Chadha’s timeline features only two posts that mention Prime Minister Narendra Modi, both of which commend him.
राघव चड्ढा ने अपने X टाइमलाइन को पूरी तरह साफ कर दिया है , मोदी या भाजपा के खिलाफ जितनी भी पुरानी आलोचनात्मक पोस्ट्स थीं, वे सब गायब!
मैंने उनके पूरे अकाउंट को “BJP” और “Modi” शब्दों से गहराई से सर्च किया।
नतीजा चौंकाने वाला है , कोई भी पुरानी आलोचना अब दिखाई नहीं देती।
“Modi”… pic.twitter.com/sTodxW8YHd
— Saurabh Bharadwaj (@Saurabh_MLAgk) April 4, 2026
On X, he stated, “Raghav Chadha has systematically cleared his X timeline — all previous critical posts regarding Modi or the BJP are nowhere to be found. I extensively searched his entire account with the keywords ‘BJP’ and ‘Modi’. The outcome is startling — none of the earlier criticism is visible any longer.”
On Friday, Chadha revealed his decision to align with the saffron party, along with a significant portion of Rajya Sabha members. During a press conference with Sandeep Pathak and Ashok Mittal, he mentioned, “We have decided that we, the two-thirds members belonging to the AAP in Rajya Sabha, exercise the provisions of the Constitution of India and merge ourselves with the BJP.”
