CHANDIGARH: The war of words between Aam Aadmi Party and party Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha intensified on Saturday, with Punjab functionaries accusing him of betraying the state that elected him, and he claiming a “coordinated campaign” to silence his voice. “Ghayal hoon, isliye ghatak hoon (I am wounded, therefore I am lethal),” he said.Punjab AAP functionaries, including finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema, state party president Aman Arora and chief spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Saturday accused Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha of failing to raise matters concerning Punjab in Parliament.They alleged that issues like the state’s pending funds with Centre, including Rs 8,500 crore rural development fund (RDF), Rs 60,000 crore GST losses and Rs 1,600 crore flood relief, were not taken up, despite repeated communication. Calling the “silence” a “betrayal” of Punjab’s people and mandate, AAP functionaries said his failure to raise farmers’ concerns and flood victims’ plight reflected a “complete disconnect from ground realities.“Cheema said, “We sent him to Rajya Sabha with hope, but he did not speak even once before the Prime Minister on these issues. This clearly shows a compromise. AAP is a party that gives opportunities to common people, but remaining silent on such crucial issues is a betrayal of Punjab and its people.”

“Raghav Chadha was elected to RS by Punjab MLAs with the expectation that he would strongly represent the state’s concerns at the national level. However, he completely avoided raising even a single sensitive issue related to Punjab,” added Cheema.On flood relief, he said, “Despite PM’s announcement of Rs 1,600 crore relief for Punjab after the devastating floods, not even a fraction of that amount has reached Punjab’s treasury. All these issues were repeatedly conveyed to Raghav Chadha, yet he did not raise even one of them in Parliament.”Arora said, “Raghav Chadha must remember the role played by Arvind Kejriwal and the party in elevating him politically. Instead of focusing on Punjab’s pressing issues such as pending RDF funds and flood relief, he chose to raise unrelated matters, which has been noticed by the entire country.”Dhaliwal found Chadha’s silence on the plight of flood-affected people of Punjab ‘disappointing’. “The party and affected residents repeatedly urged him to raise the issue of compensation in Parliament, especially the Rs 1,600 crore relief announced by the PM, which has still not been delivered. People suffered massive losses to homes, crops and infrastructure, yet their voice was never raised at the national level. We expected him to strongly demand justice and relief for Punjab’s flood victims. People of Punjab will not forget this neglect,” he said.Chadha on Saturday released a video statement, rebutting allegations levelled against him by AAP leadership, calling them “baseless, selective and unsupported by facts.”The charge that he failed to join Opposition walkouts was a “complete falsehood”, he said, adding that he was being singled out in the controversy over the impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner. Seven of the 10 party MPs in Rajya Sabha — including himself — had not signed the motion, he said, asking why the same standard wasn’t applied to the six others.Dismissing claims that he was “scared”, Chadha said his refusal to engage in shouting should not be mistaken for weakness. “I came to Parliament to make an impact, not a ruckus,” he said.During his four years as MP, he highlighted a wide spectrum of issues, including GST, income-tax, Punjab’s water concerns, Delhi’s air quality and unemployment, he said, alleging a deliberate and coordinated bid to “silence his voice in Parliament”.

RCB vs CSK Live Score, IPL 2026: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will look to continue their strong title defence when they face a struggling Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a high-stakes IPL 2026 clash at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Coming off a dominant win against Sunrisers Hyderabad, RCB appear well-balanced and confident early in the season.

Their opening match showcased both bowling discipline and batting firepower. Jacob Duffy and Romario Shepherd led the bowling effort with three wickets each to restrict SRH to 201. In response, Devdutt Padikkal’s blistering 61 off 26 balls set the tone, while Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 69 ensured a comfortable chase with overs to spare.

On the other hand, CSK are searching for answers after two consecutive defeats. Despite posting a strong 209 in their last outing, they failed to defend the total, exposing vulnerabilities in their bowling attack. The pressure is mounting as they look to avoid a third straight loss.

Beyond the match itself, the RCB-CSK rivalry brings unmatched intensity. Kohli has previously pointed out how CSK fans flood the Bengaluru stadium, creating a rare mixed atmosphere filled with noise, banter, and competitive energy.

RCB vice-captain Jitesh Sharma has made it clear that the team is not focusing on past records or opposition struggles but sticking to its own preparation and strengths. This clarity of approach has been key to their early success.

Adding another layer of intrigue, veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar is on the verge of history. Just one wicket away from 200 IPL scalps, he could become the first fast bowler to achieve the milestone, underlining his longevity and evolution in T20 cricket.

With RCB holding recent dominance and CSK desperate to bounce back, this encounter promises drama, intensity, and potentially defining moments in the early stages of IPL 2026.

Squads:

Chennai Super Kings Squad: Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Ayush Mhatre, Sarfaraz Khan, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Matt Henry, Khaleel Ahmed, Jamie Overton, Rahul Chahar, Matthew Short, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Gurjapneet Singh, Akeal Hosein, MS Dhoni, Shreyas Gopal, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary, Urvil Patel, Aman Khan, Dewald Brevis, Zakary Foulkes

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Squad: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma, Jacob Bethell, Rasikh Salam Dar, Kanishk Chouhan, Venkatesh Iyer, Josh Hazlewood, Mangesh Yadav, Vihaan Malhotra, Vicky Ostwal, Jordan Cox, Swapnil Singh, Satvik Deswal