Shrinking AAP: most of Kejriwal’s shut confidantes have both left him or are in jail

On February 28, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) chief and Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia and jailed AAP chief Satyendra Jain resigned from their respective posts within the state cabinet. As per stories, the Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, accepted their resignations.

Widely often called ‘Handsome Sisodia’, the Deputy CM was answerable for 18 departments, together with training, finance, planning, companies, vigilance, tourism, well being, and industries. He was named within the alleged excise coverage rip-off and was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26.

The Enforcement Directorate arrested Satyendra Jain in a cash laundering case. Jain was arrested in May 2022 and had been avoiding resignation since then. Arvind Kejriwal, who thumped his chest for being “non-corrupt” so many occasions, didn’t hassle to ask for his resignation on ethical and moral grounds. Kejriwal at all times emphasised that his colleagues had been harmless, and the allegations towards them is nothing however political vendetta.

With Jain and Sisodia, the listing of Kejriwal’s confidantes who laid the muse of the social gathering has shrunk additional. Over the years, for the reason that formation of the Aam Aadmi Party, the highest management has left the social gathering for one motive or one other. Though Jain and Sisodia haven’t left AAP per se, their names have already been tarnished fully within the coming days to a stage they’d be of just about no use to the social gathering.

After these two, solely Raghav Chaddha, Bhagwant Mann, Atishi Marlena, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Sanjay Singh, and a pair extra leaders are left that may be known as the nationwide face of AAP. Out of those, Bhagwant Mann is at present serving as Punjab’s CM, and Raghav Chaddha and Sanjay Singh are serving as Rajya Sabha MPs. Reportedly, Atishi and Saurabh are going to be elevated to cabinet ministers.

If we take a look at the historical past of the social gathering, those that tried to struggle corruption within the system on the nationwide or native stage by changing into distinguished members of AAP both left the social gathering or grew to become accused of corruption. Here are among the distinguished names.

Prashant Bhushan: One of the founding members of AAP, Prashant Bhushan, was actually kicked out by the social gathering members in March 2015. 

Yogendra Yadav: Another founding member of the social gathering, Yadav, was additionally faraway from the social gathering in early 2015 together with Bhushan. Both Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan had been seen at Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Kumar Vishwas: In 2018, Vishwas was faraway from key positions within the social gathering. There was a scuffle between Kejriwal and Vishwas that continued for years. Before Punjab Assembly Elections, Vishwas accused Kejriwal of siding with Khalistani parts. Vishwas had additionally accused Kejriwal of promoting’ Rajya Sabha nominations.

Shazia Ilmi: Ilmi was a member of the National Executive of the Aam Aadmi Party. She contested the 2014 Lok Sabha elections on AAP’s ticket however misplaced. Later, she left the social gathering, saying she was sad with the best way the social gathering functioned. She joined Bharatiya Janata Party.

Kapil Mishra: Once a firebrand chief of AAP, Mishra was finest identified for standing to the opposition strongly on all grounds. He levelled allegations of delay of investigations in a water tanker rip-off price 400 crores towards the CM, after which he was sacked from the social gathering’s major membership in 2017. In 2019, he formally joined BJP.

Alka Lamba: A seasoned and controversial politician who joined AAP after leaving Congress in December 2014. In September 2019, she left AAP and rejoined Congress.

All six leaders talked about above had the potential to succeed in high positions within the cabinet. However, they had been both thrown out of the social gathering or pressured to depart the social gathering.

The story of those that didn’t depart the social gathering can be fascinating. Two of the leaders who did make it to the highest positions (Jain and Sisodia) are in jail over severe corruption expenses. Two leaders (Chaddha and Singh) had been shifted to Rajya Sabha, and one of many high leaders, the one Lok Sabha member from AAP (Mann), was made CM of Punjab. Now, the 2 AAP leaders (Atishi and Bhardwaj) who’ve the potential to carry key positions are reportedly being elevated to cabinet ministers’ positions.

Delhi: AAP legislators Saurabh Bhardwaj, Atishi more likely to be elevated as ministers

Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/SVo5doPlDk#Delhi #AAP #SaurabhBhardwaj #Atishi #ManishSisodia #SatyendarJain pic.twitter.com/bgGljqHXsi

— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) March 1, 2023

Amidst all this, the Chief Minister of Delhi nonetheless holds no division. If he doesn’t maintain any portfolio, there is no such thing as a approach his identify can floor in any controversy, at the least associated to governance. He could make all of the weird claims, play nationwide politics and roam across the nation doing rallies for state elections as he did in Gujarat and Punjab. But in terms of dealing with allegations by way of governance, Kejriwal’s arms have been clear.

As Kumar Vishwas alleged prior to now, Kejriwal goals of ruling a rustic as Prime Minister. Could or not it’s a method on that path, or is it only a coincidence that solely he’s ‘rising and shining’ whereas others are taking the warmth? Only Kejriwal or time can inform.