Replacing Kumar Vishvas AAP is getting battle-ready in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: The exit of poet and Aaam Admi Party(AAP) leader Kumar Vishvas as the in charge of party affairs in Rajasthan  a day back was as dramatic as his nomination to the post some eight months ago. As the appointment was without much logic as Kumar had no special connection with or knowledge of Rajasthan, his removal too was devoid of any special reason though the AAP insiders attribute it to “inaction”.

The party leader Ashutosh, who announced the replacement of Kumar Vishvas as Rajasthan “prabhari” a day before  had termed the latter’s lack of time as the reason for excusing the fiery poet, now on a confrontation course with the AAP leadership, including its coordinator and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Kumar’s disappointment over the denial of a Rajya Sabha ticket to him by the party is known to all. Now, he has been replaced by Deepak Bajpai, the national treasurer of the party, who is also a member of the party’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC).

Deepak Bajpai, who also happens to be a former media person—as many AAP leaders are-- has been active in Rajasthan in the past two months, touring districts and making attempts at enlisting local leaders in the party. AAP, which has set up a camp in the outskirts of Jaipur on Tonk Road,   is trying hard to make a foothold in the desert state by making tie-ups with likeminded groups and political parties like the CPI and the CPI (M). As such the party lacks an organizational structure in the State.

“Kumar Vishvas had to go because he could not spare any time in Rajasthan where elections are due by the end of the year,” said Devendra Shastri, AAP spokesperson for Rajasthan, talking to Catch News.  Kumar was given enough time but he failed to make any link with the people and media in the State. “In the past eight months he visited Rajasthan only four times. Fan following in kavi sammelans is one thing and connecting with people politically is something else,” he noted.

The party pointed out that Kumar Vishvas was not doing anything in Rajasthan for the coming elections and at the same time he was not stepping down himself. That necessitated the present action as time was running out.

In the PAC meeting of AAP in Delhi two days back Rajasthan elections figured prominently and the party, it appears, is determined to invest its time and resources in the State. Despite the absence of any breakthrough for it in public and in the matter of getting hitherto established leaders of other parties to its fold, the AAP leadership thinks that Rajasthan holds promises for it. This is also because of the impression that the popularity of the ruling BJP is on the decline and the state does not have a third force. AAP thinks that it can fill the vacuum.

Though it may appear grossly unrealistic, it is learnt that the party is preparing to contest from all 200 seats in the State along with its allies. 

The party is in touch with the Left parties for a possible alliance in the coming Assembly elections while at the same time it is also on an attempt to woo party rebels from both the BJP and the Congress, besides former and present Independent MLAs.  Along with a tie-up with the Left and other likeminded parties, AAP is looking for a common ground for the campaign.