Raghav Chadha faces stiff opposition as disgruntled AAP workers lay siege to press meet

Aparna Banerji
Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, January 7

Intense resentment over the AAP’s ticket disbursal process came to the fore within the party on Friday during Punjab co-incharge Raghav Chadha’s visit to Jalandhar as disgruntled AAP workers laid siege to the Punjab Press Club here.  

AAP leader Raghav Chadha was met with stiff opposition for hours from party workers ahead of his press conference at the Punjab Press Club.

While Chadha was here to announce the joining of several leaders into the party, AAP workers and party members disgruntled with the ticket disbursal process indulged in intense sloganeering against Chadha and the party outside the Press Club.

Party’s Jalandhar leader Dr Shiv Dyal Mali along with several other workers held a protest against the party. They blocked the entry to the club raising black flags and tying black bands on their heads, holding out posters reading “Dagi Bandeyan Nu Ticketan Deniyan Band Karo”.

Assuming approaching cars to be those of Chadha, leaders gathered around them to sloganeer several times. They raised slogans — “Raghav Chadha Chor Hai”, “Raghav Chadha Lotu Hai”.

Their anger was directed at the alleged side-lining of age old party workers and leadership in the ticket disbursal process of the party ahead of the 2022 elections.  

When Chadha’s car finally arrived, leaders gathered around the club, climbed on the fence, ganged up around the club entryway indulging in angry protestations. The press conference of the AAP leader was delay by over an hour due to the chaos that ensued outside the press club.  

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Shiv Dyal Mali said, “None of the good people are left in the party. Bas ‘Chaploos chaukri chaar bandeyan di’ reh gai hai (quartet of four sycophants only remains in the state) which is calling the shots. He added all the key organisational posts in the party had been taken over by Delhi people and the good leaders and workers from Punjab were being side-lined. It seems the party is unable to find talented, wise people in the state and that is why Delhi leadership is being thrust upon us.”

Reacting later to the allegations by party workers, Chadha said, “They are our own people. Every elections some people are disappointed at not being allocated tickets. It is just them. We will sit and talk to them.”

In the presence of Chadha in Jalandhar today, former Youth Congress general secretary Dinesh Dhar, former SAD leader Amit Ratan and DPS Walia, former official in the Punjab Administrative Service joined the party.

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