In an interview with THE GOAN, AAP leader Raghav Chadda reacted to the charge that his party is a mere 'spoiler' in electoral politics with a retort that both the BJP and Congress should figure out who's 'B team' the AAP is.
THE GOAN (TG): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is being labelled as the 'B team' of BJP trying to split the secular vote. What is your response to the charge?
RAGHAV CHADDA (RC): BJP calls us the 'B team' of the Congress and the Congress calls us the 'B team' of the BJP across the country. I want the BJP and the Congress to have a one-day dialogue on this. Book a nice conference hall. Get all your leaders and figure out as to whose 'B team' are we. Then let us know and we will respond to that. This is becoming a joke now. They (BJP and Congress) kept doing it in Delhi. But what happened? We won 28 seats the first time in 2013, a record 67 of 70 seats in 2015 and again 62 seats this year.
TG: On this question of M&A politics, will you categorically state that AAP will groom its own politicians in Goa or you will also indulge in a bit of acquisitions?
RC: There will be no merger or acquisitions. One big statement I have been making and will make again is that when we win, whatever numbers we get, not a single 'aamdhar' (MLA) of AAP will shift loyalty. I can give you in writing. I am speaking with the benefit of history. The first time we won 28 seats, the BJP had 32 and tried all means, used agencies, filed cases but failed to lure even a single MLA or coerce them with central agencies. That shows that AAP is made of different material. We are people who are upright with integrity.
TG: This is a question that has to be asked. Elvis Gomes, your former State convenor and CM candidate in the 2017 polls has quit and has levelled allegations that the party in Goa runs at the diktat of Delhi. What is your response?
RC: Those who were with us and are not with us anymore, I thank them for their services to the party. All of them were valued colleagues and I wish them well in their future endeavours. I don't badmouth anyone, I don't have ill-feelings against anyone. However certain allegations they have levelled are the very same allegations that they had been defending all throughout when they were part of our party. So it's a case of sour grapes. There are certain times when your ambitions are not met and you decide to take a different path. All I will say is the allegations are baseless, malafide and completely fabricated.
TG: Does AAP in Goa have the organisation or wherewithal to convert the traction you say you are getting into an electoral win?
RC: This was asked of us in 2013, the first time we fought in Delhi. The situation in Goa is somewhat similar, where opposition parties, particularly the BJP ridicule us. Media and analysts think: 'oh, they are good people but will they be able to win?'
What happens is we become the hope of the people. In Goa, AAP is of the Goans and for the Goans. AAP will gain overwhelming support in the upcoming 2022 election. The 'winnability factor' is slowly creeping in. There is complete demise of the Opposition. This politics of convenience of 'merger and acquisition' that both the BJP and Congress have practiced is hated by Goans who in their very grain hate back-stabbing, betrayal and cheating. They are upright and good people and they cannot fathom the fact that you fight an election on one party's symbol, after winning you join another party, by the end of the tenure you land in a third party. The next election you are in the fourth party and the cycle repeats. So this politics of merger and acquisition, politics of betrayal will be shunned by the people and a new and upright party will be given an opportunity.
TG: What more beyond the politics of free electricity does AAP have to offer Goans?
RC: It is for AAP local unit to decide. Who am I to decide? I came here only because the State Co-ordinator Rahul Mahambre invited me because the government is hounding us, arresting leaders, snatching mikes to suppress the veej andolan. I want to tell the Chief Minister that Arvind Kejriwal is not Rahul Gandhi. AAP is not the Congress that we'll get scared. We are born out of a people's movement. We deal with people like him in our sleep when it comes to all this.
What issues to take up is for the local unit to decide in consultation with the people. To my mind unemployment is a big issue. This water crisis is becoming a big issue. Coal and destruction of forests has become a big issue.
TG: Has AAP cut any ice in Goa with its ongoing free electricity model?
RG: We have got massive traction. Ever since Power Minister Nilesh Cabral's challenge, his subsequent non-debate with me and debate with my colleague Valmiki Naik, we launched 'veej andolan'. Four meetings a day over 50 days (temporarily on hold due to MCC) are being organised (approximately 200 meetings). The concept that you have the right to uninterrupted, free electricity and how we made it possible in Delhi is explained. Attendees then sign a 'referendum' form and also pledge support to the demand and AAP through missed calls and IVR calls. We have got 2.62 lakh registrations from Goans so far.
It appears the chief minister of Goa is rattled. He is heading a clueless government and is now hell bent on misusing State instrumentalities including police to suppress the voice of AAP. He thinks by stopping our meetings he can save his politics. It is like a man who stops the clock to save time. Goans wanted this issue discussed for many years. AAP is only a special purpose vehicle which has made it happen. I personally feel this electricity debate, challenge, acceptance and non-acceptance has done a lot of good. At least the government is now thinking of how to deal with this. Electricity was an issue for the people all throughout but now it has become an issue for the government as well. This is constructive politics.
TG: In Delhi you have Discoms. In Goa the task is shouldered by the Electricity Department. How will you modify the model to implement it here?
RC: It is even easier to do it here in Goa. In Delhi we have special purpose vehicle (SPV) which is a limited company. You have to reach out to the company and then ensure it. ?Here it is run by the State. You have to sign a file and ensure it is done by the Department. Therefore we are saying within 48-hours of forming the government we will ensure 73% of Goans who consume up to 200 units will get zero electricity bills and another 20% Goans will get 50 per-cent bills.
