The bitterness between Arvind Kejriwal and Raghav Chadha only indicates that further disintegration of AAP is just a matter of time.
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Gone are those days when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) used to be synonymous with fighting against corruption and became a nationwide sensation in no time, as many people started believing that the emergence of a new political culture would bring a sea change in the country’s fortunes. But it is a pity that the dream got shattered within a decade as AAP is now plagued by the same kind of internal squabbling familiar in other political parties in the country. These days, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hits the headlines only because of fierce infighting rather than exposing the corrupt practices prevailing in our political and administrative systems for long. The party, it seems, has now become a rudderless ship, leaving even its die-hard supporters completely disheartened.
Various theories are doing the rounds to ascertain the reasons behind AAP’s dramatic fall after attaining commendable heights. Kejriwal supporters are outrightly blaming disgruntled elements for becoming stooges of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). On the other hand, the dissidents are terming Kejriwal an undemocratic and paranoid leader who always feels suspicious whenever colleagues stress the need for healthy debates about policies and programmes within the party.
The dissidents may not be far from the truth as, way back in 2015, Kejriwal had axed two prominent party leaders, Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, within days of winning 67 out of 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly elections, as they had raised some questions regarding the party's poll promises. Again, Kejriwal had virtually engineered the ouster of Kumar Biswas from AAP, undoubtedly the biggest crowd-puller of the party due to his poetic skills, by denying him a Rajya Sabha ticket. It is said that the axe fell on Kumar Biswas as he was more in demand than the party’s supreme leader. Another popular leader of the party, Swati Maliwal, also met the same fate as her name was being circulated as the leader of the party in Kejriwal’s absence due to his alleged involvement in Delhi’s much-hyped liquor scam.
The latest AAP leader to join the list is Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadda, who is considered to be the real architect of the Delhi Lokpal Act in 2012. Since then, the Rajya Sabha MP became very close to Kejriwal and played an important role in AAP's Punjab victory. His clout within the party can be judged by the fact that Chadda’s marriage reception with Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra took place at Kapurthala House, the Delhi residence of the Punjab Chief Minister, where such public functions do not take place. Before the said function, the unwritten rule was violated only once when Kejriwal’s daughter got married. Now, the bitterness between them only indicates that further disintegration of AAP is just a matter of time.
So, the ball is now in Kejriwal’s court. He will have to take the initiative to make AAP a party with a difference by adopting a more flexible approach so that everyone can express their views freely without being bothered about the consequences, like a true democratic political outfit.