The Aam Aadmi Party has given an overhaul to the party’s organisational structure, months after its electoral debacle in the National Capital. The striking feature of the organisational rejig is that Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha’s name is conspicuously missing from the newly allocated organisational responsibilities.
His omission from the list comes in the wake of reports that the party was miffed with the Rajya Sabha MP with speculations abuzz that AAP leadership aiming to axe his Rajya Sabha berth. Chadha’s eye operation was cited as the reason for his months long absence from the national or Delhi state politics and not joining protest in support of jailed AAP leaders.
Yet, in party circles, he is reportedly seen as someone who left the party supremo, and by extension AAP when its chips were down as he didn’t pay a visit to Tihar Jail when Kejriwal was behind bars in connection with the Delhi Liquor case. Lately, especially after Kejriwal’s defeat in the New Delhi constituency, speculation has intensified that the party is pressuring its sitting Rajya Sabha MPs—particularly those out of favor—to vacate their seats for him. However, party sources maintain that Chadha has not be ignored, rather he will continue in the advisory role to the Bhagwant Mann government, besides his Parliamentary duties.
Another striking takeaway from the organisational rejig is the appointment of scam tainted party leaders, Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain as the in-charge and co-in charge of Punjab. Ironically, Sandeep Pathak makes way for Satyendra Jain who had claimed “memory loss” citing COVID when he was confronted with evidence during a scam probe.
AAP, a party born out of the movement against corruption, has entrusted Sisodia and Jain — despite grave allegations against them — with establishing strong communication channels between the party’s Punjab unit and the central leadership in Delhi. AAP’s Delhi unit has been facing accusations of running the show in Punjab, trampling the voice of the state residents and their electoral mandate bestowed on Bhagwant Mann.
As per reports, Manish Sisodia will also keep watch on the Punjab government’s poll promises and their implementation.
Other details of the changes in organisational structuring
As part of the overhaul, AAP has replaced incumbent Delhi unit chief Gopal Rai with Saurabh Bharadwaj and moved the former to Gujarat.
The decision to reallocate the party’s top leaders to states like Punjab, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh was taken at the Parliamentary Affairs Committee (PAC), the highest decision-making body of the Arvind Kejriwal-led party.
The party has announced new party chiefs in two states and in-charges in four states.
Gopal Rai will be the party’s in-charge for Gujarat while Durgesh Pathak will serve in the capacity of co-convenor.
Sandeep Pathak has been given charge of Chhattisgarh while Mehraj Mallik has been made Jammu and Kashmir chief.
