Less than a month since results of the Gujarat Assembly polls were declared, Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has effected major changes in the party’s organisational structure in the state. Isudan Ghadvi, who was the party’s chief ministerial candidate, has been made the state party president and incumbent president Gopal Italia has been made national party joint secretary and co-in-charge of Maharashtra.
All the top leaders of AAP, including Ghadvi and Italia, had lost the elections. The AAP won five seats in the 182-member Assembly. However, based on the percentage of votes that it secured, it became a national party.
Alpesh Kathiria, former member of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti who had joined the party ahead of elections, has been made state working president of Surat zone. He had also lost the election. Congress turncoat Kailash Gadhvi has been made the state working president of Kutch zone. The party has declared the names of six state working presidents.
The AAP has tried to accommodate people from various strata of society in a bid to strike the balance. Ever since Isudan, a journalist-turned politician, had joined the party there was always a debate as to who would get a bigger role to play in Gujarat. Since Italia was already the state party president, Isudan was made national joint general secretary and then he was later on declared the chief ministerial face of the party.