Kejriwal’s AAP-arent troubles deepen as Chadha signals exit

New Delhi: The meteoric rise and sudden fall of Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha — the latest among Arvind Kejriwal’s core team to have a fallout with the AAP chief — illustrate a trend that is rarely seen in other established parties.

Desertions and sidelining are not unusual in any party, but the frequency with which senior leaders have left a young outfit like the AAP is startling. Some left due to ideological differences, some others were upset with Kejriwal’s style of functioning, while a few quit when the AAP could not satisfy their ambitions.

The list — starting in at least 2015, the year Kejriwal stormed to power in Delhi — includes Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav, Kumar Vishwas, Ashutosh, Ashish Khetan, Mayank Gandhi, Alka Lamba, Kapil Mishra, and Naveen Jaihind. Some turned detractors and joined other parties, while others remained critical of but not opposed to the AAP.

Chadha’s name is the latest addition, months after Swati Maliwal, another Rajya Sabha member, snapped ties with the AAP after she alleged that Kejriwal’s aide beat her up when she went to meet him.

Rise and strife

Chadha, now 37, met Kejriwal in his early 20s, as Anna Hazare led the India Against Corruption movement. He was made a national spokesperson when the AAP was subsequently formed. He was also part of a core team that wrote the party’s manifestos and was even treasurer for some time.

Once the AAP was in power, he was appointed financial advisor to then-deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, and was fielded in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, which he lost. The next year saw him winning an Assembly seat, and Kejriwal overlooked experienced leaders to make him vice-chairman of Delhi Jal Board (DJB).

When the AAP won Punjab, Kejriwal wanted a trusted hand to watch over Bhagwant Mann. Thus, Chadha was made an advisor to the Punjab CM, eliciting monikers like “Super CM” and allegations of corruption. Nothing impacted Chadha’s rise as he was made a Rajya Sabha member at the age of 33.

Even before his fallout with Kejriwal, Chadha had created ripples in the Rajya Sabha when he was suspended following accusations of putting names of MPs in a motion without their approval, and was even accused of forgery. However, the party stood behind him.

In the Rajya Sabha, one could sense the unease in the AAP ranks as Chadha tried to steal the limelight. When floor leader Sanjay Singh was arrested in a case, there was even an attempt to install Chadha as “interim leader”, but then chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar rejected it. Sources said seniors in the Opposition advised Chadha not to make such ventures.

Fall and fallout

Things began to change after Kejriwal and his team started to feel the heat from Central agencies over the Delhi government’s functioning, including one on DJB during Chadha’s tenure. One leader after another were arrested, reaching a crescendo with Kejriwal just before the Lok Sabha polls.

When Kejriwal was arrested, Chadha was in the United Kingdom for eye surgery. His party colleagues defended him for his absence on TV channels, but a post of solidarity on social media was yet to come. Tongues began wagging. Chadha later returned and visited Kejriwal when he came out.

Chadha did not take any steps to bridge the gap. He was no longer a part of the core group, but embarked on an image-building exercise in the Rajya Sabha by raising issues like problems of exploitation at toll plazas, excessive bank charges, and gig workers.

“The question is, are you standing with one when it is needed? He did not do that. His case is that of a successful ladder-climber. The moment there was a difficulty, he ran away,” a senior AAP functionary said.

The last straw came when Chadha refused to express solidarity with Kejriwal and others when they were discharged in the liquor scam case. He did not post on social media, refused to come to party headquarters for celebrations, and skipped a party programme days later. On April 2, the AAP removed him as its deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha.

The AAP had faced criticism over its choices for the Rajya Sabha, with people from non-political and business backgrounds taking the majority of its 10 seats. Eventually, it was Kejriwal’s close aides who rebelled and helped along allegations that the party was working in tandem with the BJP.

Chadha had also distanced himself from the Opposition, not signing a notice that sought the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and also not walking out with the Opposition on multiple occasions. He denied those charges, and also refused to back off as the AAP attacked him.

With the AAP facing a political crisis, the question now is how Kejriwal plans to address the desertion of his close aides.