The Aam Aadmi Party’s Gujarat face, Isudan Gadhvi, who moved from journalism to politics spearheading AAP’s foray into Gujarat in 2021 is returning to his old profession to host a TV show on current issues, raising questions about his political future.
Gadhvi is set to appear on a local channel with a new show in line with his previous show Mahamanthan, which made him a household name in the state before he made his political foray in the state assembly polls
Lost in 2022 polls
Mr Gadhvi is currently the President of AAP in Gujarat and was its CM face during the 2022 assembly polls which he lost from Khambhalia seat in Saurashtra region. The AAP, however, won five assembly seats across the state.
“I’m in politics and will continue to be with AAP. However, I’m considering launching a show to raise issues concerning people of the state,” he told local media persons after the news about him joining hands with a local media group broke.
He ruled out resigning from the AAP or taking a break from active politics while stressing that “the AAP and its leadership is committed to work for the people of the state.”
“We will continue to work in Gujarat till the BJP is defeated here,” he added.
His move to start a new show on TV comes amid a mass exodus from the AAP. Thousands of its workers and local level leaders who had come from the Congress have returned to the principal opposition party in the state.
Exodus
Recently hundreds of AAP workers and local leaders like Bhemabhai Chaudhary, Vashram Sagathis and many others in Rajkot, Banaskantha and other districts left the party and returned to the Congress.
Notably, AAP’s national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited Gujarat only once after the Assembly polls held in December 2022 while the last national leader to visit the state was Sanjay Singh, Rajya Sabha member, who is now in jail after his arrest by the Enforcement Director in an alleged money laundering case.
Though the AAP recently organised a march from Dandi in South Gujarat to Ahmedabad to protest recruitment of teachers on fixed pay and contracts the party has lost the visibility it enjoyed during the run up to the assembly polls.
It’s five MLAs have also confined themselves to their local seats or areas while Gadhvi and AAP part president Gopal Italia, who has been given joint charge of Maharashtra, appear more active on social media platforms than on the ground organising people or holding protest and rallies.
