Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will hold a meeting of its MLAs in Jalandhar on April 29 with party’s state in-charge Manish Sisodia, a move that comes in the wake of its two primary 2022 election strategists, Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak, defecting to the BJP.The session follows claims made by Chadha that more than 60 AAP MLAs from Punjab are in touch with him, fuelling internal worry over the party’s ability to keep its flock together in the state legislature.The defection of seven Rajya Sabha Punjab MPs — six of whom represent Punjab — has exposed a fracture in the party, occurring days after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided properties linked to MP Ashok Mittal and Punjab minister Sanjeev Arora.However, the exit of Chadha and Pathak is of concern for AAP because their deep involvement in the selection of the current crop of legislators has raised questions regarding how much personal loyalty these MLAs still hold toward their former mentors.When contacted, Punjab AAP president Aman Arora said that the meeting was pre-scheduled for a discussion of various tasks assigned to party leaders, including chairmen of boards and corporations and those working at the grassroots level. They were asked to gather feedback on the issues of the public in their areas. Asked if it was linked to the seven Rajya Sabha MPs defecting to the BJP, Arora said, “Not at all, this meeting had been planned 15 days back. It is a routine meeting.”Arora also rejected Chadha’s claims that AAP MLAs were in contact with him, saying, “This is all ridiculous talk.” Meanwhile, requesting anonymity, an MLA added that initially the forthcoming meeting was to focus on the party observers, but later MLAs have also been asked to attend.The influence of Chadha and Pathak stems from their roles as the architects of the party’s 2022 landslide victory, where they were instrumental in the ticket allocation process. While Pathak acted as the electoral “Chanakya”, managing organisational building and candidate interviews, Chadha served as the frontline face of the campaign and handled party finances. This dual control meant that most of the 92 sitting MLAs received their nominations through them, establishing a direct line of personal loyalty that bypassed much of the local leadership.Political observers suggest a vulnerability among a section of MLAs who are apprehensive about their prospects of getting renominated by AAP for the 2027 assembly elections. There is growing concern within the AAP that legislators who fear being denied a ticket in the next polls may consider switching over to the BJP to secure their political futures. While political analysts suggest that any such defections would more likely occur closer to the polls — which are approximately 10 months away — the Jalandhar meeting is expected to serve as the first formal platform for the party to assess the extent of this friction and develop a strategy to keep its flock together.Adding to the pressure, the opposition has intensified its claims regarding the instability of the ruling party. Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring had asserted that as many as 50 AAP MLAs could desert the party, while Partap Singh Bajwa and Sukhpal Khaira have similarly claimed that scores of AAP legislators are looking for an exit.Chadha has allegedly claimed to be in touch with 63 AAP MLAs from Punjab. This number is significant because it represents two-thirds of AAP’s 94-member legislative group, even though Chadha reportedly told BJP leaders he has the “firm backing” of 48 MLAs.On the other hand, senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh on Sunday dismissed claims that party MLAs in Punjab are in contact with Chadha, who recently joined the BJP, labelling such developments as “misinformation and rumours”.MSID:: 130555294 413 |
