AHMEDABAD: The Aam Aadmi Party’s rollout of over 460 candidates for Gujarat’s local body elections on March 24 has triggered immediate backlash in Vadodara, with resignations and protests from party workers alleging that candidate selection was dictated centrally and ignored grassroots inputs.
Gujarat AAP’s grand rollout of 460+ local body candidates has triggered a political paradox: while the party pitches “new politics of common people,” rebellion has erupted on the ground, especially in Vadodara, exposing cracks between central decisions and the local cadre.
In a high-stakes political move, the Aam Aadmi Party in Gujarat unveiled its first list of over 460 candidates for the upcoming local body elections, projecting it as a decisive shift towards grassroots democracy, yet almost instantly colliding with internal dissent that threatens to blunt its momentum.
State president Isudan Gadhvi framed the announcement as a political turning point, declaring, “Today a golden sun has risen for the common people in Gujarat. Today Aam Aadmi Party has given tickets to common people from taluka to district, municipality to municipal corporation and with this, a new politics has begun.”
The assertion was not just symbolic but strategic, aimed at positioning the party as a disruptor against entrenched dynastic politics.
Driving the message further, Gadhvi added, “We had a dream that the politics of father and son is over. Now we have started the politics of common people, and that is our good fortune. More than 460 such candidates have been given tickets who are socially active and are truly common people.”
He coupled the optimism with an appeal to voters, urging them to “rise above caste and religion and accept this new politics,” signalling AAP’s attempt to redraw Gujarat’s electoral narrative.
However, even as the party celebrated its “golden sunrise,” storm clouds gathered rapidly on the ground, particularly in Vadodara, where the candidate list has triggered sharp backlash, resignations, and public protests from within its own ranks.
The most significant jolt came from Vadodara city. In a display of dissent, several party members hung their sashes outside the AAP office and announced their resignation on the spot, turning what was meant to be a show of strength into a spectacle of internal fracture.
Anger among workers was both immediate and pointed. Local leaders accused the party of sidelining grassroots voices, alleging that candidate selection was dictated “from Delhi” rather than reflecting local realities.
The discontent quickly escalated into sharper political accusations, with some workers branding AAP as a “B team of the BJP,” a charge that underscores deep frustration and mistrust within the cadre.
Rajesh Mali, Ward No. 13 in-charge in Vadodara, crystallised the resentment, stating, “This list includes people who have joined the party for just one or two months. We have been working for years, yet we are being ignored.” His statement highlights a widening disconnect between long-time workers and the party’s candidate strategy.
Adding another layer to the controversy, Vadodara General Secretary Jhanvi Gohil levelled serious allegations, saying, “Everything is a game of money. The party runs according to the money sent from here. Our opinion was taken, but it did not happen accordingly. There are three cases against me during party protests, yet we have not been supported.”
Her remarks not only question the transparency of the selection process but also expose grievances over a lack of organisational backing.
Thus, what began as AAP’s attempt to champion “common man politics” in Gujarat has, within hours, become a test of its internal cohesion, where the promise of change is being challenged by voices from within, shifting the spotlight from electoral ambition to organisational credibility.