The turmoil within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha and six other leaders joined the BJP is not just the beginning of the downfall of this party born out of the anti-corruption movement. This is also like the breaking of the dream of the middle class, in which it wanted to snatch power from the rich and powerful and make politics an instrument of wider social interest instead of the selfishness of a few. Raghav had become the shining star of AAP in Rajya Sabha. This speaks to the connection that his former party once had with the Indian middle class. A class which was bored with the politics of that time and wanted to do something new and meaningful. Now joining the party which Raghav had been criticizing for 13 years shows how hollow today’s politics has become, in which ideals and loyalty are sacrificed for personal interest and over-ambition. But why blame Raghav alone? After all, he is just a symbol of the troubles that happened in Arvind Kejriwal and his party when AAP entered Delhi politics by defeating big parties like BJP and Congress. AAP and Kejriwal, who came to power on the strength of the middle class who wanted delivery, transparency and participation, had promised to keep people at the center of governance. Kejriwal’s financial model was not based on corporate funding like traditional parties. He relied on small donations from millions of supporters who were dreaming of a new kind of politics. He talked about education, health and democracy with public participation through Mohalla groups. Promised a corruption-free government and accountable bureaucracy. It’s a reminder of how quickly fall can happen. It is true that due to the conflict with the Lieutenant Governor, Kejriwal continued to face obstacles, but Kejriwal himself could not escape the power and its temptations. Despite the promise of living in a simple government flat, he built a huge bungalow for himself. Even before strengthening the party in the capital, Kejriwal’s ambitions went beyond Delhi. They started looking from Haryana, Punjab to Gujarat and Goa. His growing ambitions had a double effect. His old and trusted friends separated from him midway. Many names like Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan, Shazia Ilmi, Alka Lamba, Kumar Vishwas and Kapil Mishra come to mind. Then, Kejriwal also needed resources to expand the party. The contribution-based financial model and workers that helped them conquer Delhi were not sufficient for rapid expansion in big states. Then ED and CBI investigation started against Kejriwal and his close advisors. Before the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, many party leaders including Kejriwal were sent to jail. However, not a single charge was proved and the CBI case was dismissed by the lower court. But, amidst all this noise, the election defeat of 2025 was almost certain. The current exodus that is being seen after AAP’s defeat in Delhi and Kejriwal’s defeat in his own seat was also bound to happen. The story of Kejriwal, Chadha and ‘AAP’ reminds us what flaws have come in today’s politics. It is also a warning to those middle-class idealists who want to shift power away from an individual’s dominance, money power and muscle power to service of the people – where human development and modern progress receive equal importance. It is too early to accept the political end of Kejriwal and his party. But the party’s decline in the Rajya Sabha could start a similar trend in Delhi, the impact of which might be visible in Punjab as well. Next year, the AAP government has to face the next election test there. AAP’s internal disunity also underlines the challenges that smaller parties hoping to bring about a change in politics will have to grapple with. The story of ‘AAP’ reminds us what are the flaws in today’s politics. It is also a warning to those idealists who want to base power on service rather than on one person’s clout, money power and muscle power (These are the author’s own views)
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Aarti Jerath’s column:"AAP’s downfall is like breaking the dreams of the common middle class.
