New Delhi: The arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal may have landed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in its biggest crisis yet, but five of the party’s 10 Rajya Sabha MPs — drawn from the world of business and sports — do not seem particularly bothered.
From the “sub judice” nature of the case to their “non-political” background, the MPs have a range of justifications for their absence from the frontlines of the party’s ongoing protests and public mobilisation efforts against the arrest.
Many AAP leaders are also rankled by the absence of senior party leader and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, who is not just a full-time politician, but among its most prominent faces. He is also on the list of AAP’s star campaigners for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
However, since early March, Chadha has been marking his political presence only on social media. The party’s lone Lok Sabha MP from Punjab, Sushil Kumar Rinku, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in March.
An AAP spokesperson told ThePrint Monday, “He (Chadha) has undergone an eye surgery and doctors have recommended rest.”
However, in private, many party leaders express resentment at his prolonged absence.
“Raghav Chadha’s leadership qualities helped him rise the ranks so quickly as the party recognised his abilities and Arvind Kejriwal promoted him. But this is when the party needed him the most,” a senior AAP leader told ThePrint.
So far, Chadha has not spoken on record on his prolonged stay abroad, which has also drawn swipes from the BJP. However, he has been posting statements on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) on Kejriwal’s arrest.
केजरीवाल सिर्फ़ एक व्यक्ति का नहीं, बल्कि एक सोच का नाम है।
केजरीवाल के शरीर को तो गिरफ़्तार कर लोगे, उनकी सोच को नहीं कर पाओगे। pic.twitter.com/ciZCUaaP5x
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) March 22, 2024
Besides Chadha, until last week, former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal’s name also figured among the missing AAP Rajya Sabha MPs.
Maliwal, who was in the US to attend to her ailing sister, along with Delhi assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel carried out a door-to-door campaign for the AAP’s East Delhi Lok Sabha candidate Kuldeep Kumar on 26 April.
But entirely missing from action have been the party’s five Rajya Sabha MPs from the world of business and sports — Ashok Kumar Mittal, founder and chancellor of Lovely Professional University; Sanjeev Arora, who has interests in areas ranging from textiles to real estate; Vikramjit Singh Sahney, whose Sun Group is a major player in the fertiliser sector and former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh. The former cricketer is currently on the panel of Hindi commentators for the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Also on the list is environmental activist Balbir Singh Seechewal.
These are the Rajya Sabha choices for which the AAP had drawn criticism from the Congress, BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal. The parties had accused the AAP of overlooking the interests of Punjab, from where all five were elected, for the sake of funds to fill its coffers.
Sanjeev Arora told ThePrint that he would not comment on the case that led to the arrest of Kejriwal “as the matter is sub judice”.
“I also tweeted after the arrest saying he can be arrested but not his ideas and thoughts. On 11 April, I also met Sunita ji (Sunita Kejriwal) along with Ashok Mittal and Vikramjit Singh Sahney. If the party gives me any assignment, I will carry it out, but so far I have not been told anything,” said Arora, whose WhatsApp profile picture shows a representational image of Kejriwal behind bars.
Speaking to ThePrint, Seechewal said he has made it clear to the AAP that he will not partake in the party’s political activities. “I am always available for issues related to the environment and water. There are other people to handle political issues,” he said.
Sahney did not respond to requests for comment but people close to him said “he is clear about the fact that as a philanthropist he feels strongly about issues, such as drug addiction, but he is non-political by nature”.
ThePrint reached Mittal via calls and messages and Harbhajan Singh via email for comments but failed to get a response. This report will be updated if and when they respond.
Among the remaining MPs, the party’s national general secretary (organisation) Sandeep Pathak and treasurer N.D. Gupta have been on the frontlines ever since Kejriwal was put behind bars.
Meanwhile, since his release on bail in the same case in the first week of April, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh has emerged as the leader around whom AAP workers and supporters are rallying.
At the launch of the rap song, composed and sung by Timarpur MLA Dilip Pandey, Singh was the centre of attraction, a scene which has been playing out in most public events organised by the party in recent weeks as its campaign gathers momentum.
Singh obtaining bail offered some relief to the party going through a major crisis due to the incarceration of not just Kejriwal, but also former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, and former health minister Satyendar Jain.
The party has also been attempting to fill the vacuum by fielding the wife of the Delhi CM, Sunita Kejriwal, to campaign, and address public rallies. Over the weekend, Sunita Kejriwal held roadshows in Delhi, where four candidates of the party are contesting as part of the INDIA bloc.
Also Read: Why EC wants AAP to ‘modify’ & resubmit campaign song ‘jail ka jawab vote se denge’
Chadha missing from action
The absence of Raghav Chadha during the elections has created resentment among party leaders. “He (Chadha) is very much with the AAP. But it is natural for his absence from the frontlines of the party’s protests to draw attention,” another AAP leader told ThePrint.
Though, it is learnt that Chadha is also dismayed over the party not defending his absence with “as much vigour as it could have”.
Chadha, 35, had posted on 8 March on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) that he is in London to speak at an event at the London School of Economics. He also posted pictures of his visit to the Palace of Westminster with his wife, actor Parineeti Chopra.
Namaste England!
I’ll be speaking at the London India Forum hosted at the Sheikh Zayed Theatre, London School of Economics tomorrow. Looking forward to engaging in scintillating discussions and exploring campus once again. Watch this space @LSEnews #LondonIndiaForum pic.twitter.com/8OnlL8MER9
— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) March 8, 2024
Speaking to news agency PTI on 22 March, senior advocate Kapil Sibal said, “They arrested K. Kavitha, and Arvind Kejriwal. The next will be Raghav Chadha and then they will arrest more people who are the key players in the election of this country. That’s how it’s going.”
Later, the AAP also claimed that the agencies may go after Chadha, and other AAP leaders, such as Saurabh Bharadwaj and Durgesh Pathak. Chadha’s name was mentioned, though not as an accused, in a supplementary chargesheet in the Delhi excise policy case.
Following this, Chadha in a statement in May 2023 said, “I have not been named as an accused or even a suspect in any of the complaints filed by the ED (Enforcement Directorate). There are no allegations whatsoever against me in said complaints. It appears that in the complaint, my name is mentioned as an attendee to some meeting, though the basis of making such an allegation is not clear. I vehemently and unequivocally deny commission of any alleged offence in any manner, in relation to said meeting or otherwise.”
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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