January 22, 2025

Ideally, the Rajya Sabha candidates from Aam Aadmi Party should have been Ashutosh, Kumar Vishwas and Sanjay Singh. The final list reads: Kejriwal loyalist Sanjay Singh, chartered accountant Narain Dass Gupta and billionaire ‘social activist’ Sushil Gupta. This proves one thing and gives a strong indication of another. It proves the AAP is fast becoming the proprietary firm of Arvind Kejriwal and it gives a strong indication that some more people are going to leave the party soon.

Of the three proposed nominations, Sushil Gupta’s rankles most and goes against all the principles on which the AAP was formed. Gupta was with the Congress previously and joined AAP just one month ago. Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken has alleged that Gupta resigned from the Congress as he was promised a RS nomination by AAP. Despite his charitable institutions, Gupta is a political lightweight and is not expected to make any meaningful contribution in the upper house.

Kejriwal has filled the party with yes-men and anyone holding a view contrary to his is sidelined in a manner that leaves the person with no other option but to either become a chamcha or leave the party. His bid to invite eminent outside personalities like former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan was just a ruse to keep disgruntled RS aspirants from the party at bay. He thought he would walk away with the accolades for inducting distinguished persons in the RS regardless of party affiliations if those eminent personalities had accepted. But does not that prove that despite AAP being touted as the party of “intellectuals”, no one from within the party is distinguished enough?

The way Kejriwal is going, his dreams of branching out in other states will die fast. Even in Delhi he will be left with defectors. All idealists and intellectuals will think twice before joining a party where only one man’s writ runs. If Kejriwal thinks that only he and Sisodia can run the show with assorted yes-men, he has another think coming. He should heed the advice of well-wishers and mend his ways to make the party truly democratic.