A self-proclaimed ‘crusader against corruption’ party stemmed from the Anna Hazare movement, today known as the Aam Aadmi Party. The party runs more like a cooperative office, which has one CEO, namely Arvind Kejriwal, and the CEO keeps kicking out the senior most persons in order to save his chair, allege political pundits analyzing the exit of almost all senior politicians from the party, be it Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan, Shazia Ilmi, or Kumar Vishwas. The same seems to be happening with Manish Sisodia.
Manish Sisodia was asked to vacate the bungalow
Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s custody has been extended by five more days. What must have come as a double shock to him is the Arvind Kejriwal government’s asking his family to vacate the government bungalow within five days.
The notice has been issued by the Public Works Department Secretariat, which allotted bungalow number AB-17, Mathura Road, to Atishi Marlena, who has been recently inducted into the cabinet in place of Sisodia. Marlena currently handles the Woman and Child Development, PWD, Power, Education, Art, Culture, and Language Ministries, as well as the Tourism Ministries, of the Delhi government.
This comes as a surprise, as Kejriwal himself had promised to take care of his family. Before his arrest, Sisodia had himself urged his followers to take care of his wife, who is fighting multiple sclerosis, as his son studies abroad.
Analysts smell changed behavior
The one who can smell political coffee must have considered Manish Sisodia’s recent treatment by his own party, which he led for nearly a decade. Remember the attitude of Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party after the anti-Hindu Delhi riots? When petrol bombs were found on the terrace of one of the councillors, the AAP went underground—no positives, no negatives.
The same was the case with former Health Minister Satyendra Jain. He had been in custody for the past six months, facing serious allegations of corruption. Not only the party, but also Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, stood firm behind him. We don’t see a repeat in the case of Manish Sisodia. On one hand, the court dismissed Sisodia’s plea, and he was kicked first out of the party and, within twenty days, out of the bungalow.
Also read: Delhi Priests protest: The real face of Hanuman Bhakt Kejriwal
Saving the party or too scared of Sisodia?
The BJP has too harshly attacked Kejriwal over the decision. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said, “Kejriwal ka motto: Kaam khatam, paisa hajam, Manish Sisodia kaun ho tum?” alleging that Kejriwal is making Sisodia a scapegoat in the excise case. Is this the matter? Well, it doesn’t seem so, as Kejriwal is the ‘CM with no portfolio’.
For a major part of the tenure of his government, he was a Chief Minister without portfolio, something that doesn’t really reflect his status as a dominant supremo in his party’s power structure, and his deputy did most of the heavy lifting. Sisodia was the man of action. While Sisodia enjoyed the image of a performer with his education model, Kejriwal’s image had taken a hit. Maybe the action is a fear-fighting tool.
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