Raju Karpada’s resignation from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Gujarat has triggered more than just a political controversy — it has reopened questions about the party’s fragile organisational structure in the state and its dependence on a handful of prominent faces.
While AAP leaders have dismissed his allegations and hinted at BJP pressure behind his move, political observers believe Karpada’s departure could weaken the party’s outreach among farmers, especially in Saurashtra.
Elections to municipal corporations, taluka and district panchayats will be held in Gujarat later this year.
Karpada, who served as the state president of AAP’s Kisan Sanghatan, quit the party on Wednesday citing “personal reasons”. A day later, he addressed a press conference in Rajkot, offering what he called an explanation for his “sudden resignation”. His central complaint was that AAP leadership failed to provide timely legal support when he and several farmers were jailed following violence during the Hadadad farm agitation in Botad.
The agitation, led by Karpada against alleged unfair practices in cotton procurement at the Botad APMC subyard, had turned violent. Police used tear gas and lathi-charge, and around 65 people were arrested. Karpada and other leaders spent over 100 days in prison before being released on bail on February 1. Within ten days, Karpada resigned from all party posts, sparking speculation about deeper tensions.
In his remarks, Karpada said he had joined AAP in 2022 with the hope that political backing would strengthen farmers’ movements. However, his experience in jail left him disillusioned. He claimed that during crucial bail hearings, no senior party lawyer was present and that the farmers who trusted him suffered unnecessarily.
“I was prepared to remain in jail for years,” he said, “but it was heartbreaking that ordinary farmers, who had never even entered a police station before, had to spend Diwali behind bars.”
Karpada also alleged that instead of helping secure their release, some within the party tried to “trap” him through additional FIRs filed over Facebook posts while he was still imprisoned. He concluded by saying his future work would now be “non-political” and focused solely on farmers’ rights.
AAP leaders, however, strongly rejected these charges. Pravin Ram, who was jailed in the same case, argued that Karpada’s resignation was driven more by fear of pending criminal cases than by any genuine ideological break. According to Ram, Karpada had repeatedly expressed concern about earlier cases against him, including attempt-to-murder charges.
Visavadar MLA Gopal Italia went further, suggesting that Karpada’s outburst was scripted and possibly influenced by the BJP. Italia claimed that hearings in two attempt-to-murder cases involving Karpada were scheduled for February 12, and that political pressure may have played a role in his resignation.
“I am sad that the man who once spoke with passion is today speaking weightless words from a script,” Italia said, alleging that Karpada sacrificed the farmers’ movement to protect himself from returning to jail.
This episode underlines a larger challenge for AAP in Gujarat: the party’s limited organisational depth and recurring leadership churn. Since the 2022 Assembly elections, several AAP leaders and local office-bearers have quit the party, often citing internal dissatisfaction or political pressure. While AAP made a breakthrough by winning five seats in 2022, it has struggled to build a stable second line of leadership.
In the past two years alone, multiple prominent faces have exited or distanced themselves from the party in Gujarat, including local MLAs, district-level coordinators and early campaign leaders. Political analysts estimate that more than half a dozen senior leaders and several grassroots office-bearers have resigned in the recent past, reflecting continuing instability within the state unit.
Karpada’s exit is particularly significant because he was not just another functionary — he was one of the party’s most visible farmer leaders in rural Saurashtra.
His activism was seen as capable of shifting rural anti-incumbency sentiment toward AAP — something the party desperately needs if it hopes to expand beyond its urban pockets.
He had also reportedly planned farmer-focused strategies in Kutch and Saurashtra after analysing the 2022 results.
With Karpada gone, AAP risks losing a key bridge between the party and rural farming communities. Even if the party manages to frame his resignation as BJP-engineered, the perception of internal dissatisfaction and poor support for grassroots leaders could damage its credibility.
Ultimately, Raju Karpada’s resignation is not just about one leader leaving — it highlights the larger question of whether AAP can build a durable political base in Gujarat or remain dependent on a few high-profile voices. For a party still trying to gain ground in Saurashtra’s countryside, this exit could prove to be a serious setback.
Also Read: Umesh Makwana Resigns As Whip, AAP Suspends Him For Five Years https://www.vibesofindia.com/umesh-makwana-resigns-as-whip-aap-suspends-him-for-five-years/
