RAGHAV CHADHA: NOT AN AAM AADMI by Mihir Srivastava

Raghav Chadha is a Rajya Sabha member, the youngest to be made one. His party–Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)–now feels it was a mistake. To desert the party that made a man out of him, and then a politician with substance (I doubt, certainly skilled), was not expected of him. I don’t blame Arvind Kejriwal for him, but he is learning the hard way. Looks matter and looks can be deceptive. Swati Maliwal, now Raghav.

Arvind was able to keep his flocks together when he was the chief minister of Delhi for more than a decade. This is a formidable feat given how his ministers and MLAs were hounded. But with the notable exception of Kapil Mishra–is now a minister in his successor Rekha Gupta’s cabinet. 

In retrospect, we can question his judgement of people, but he was not wrong in trusting Raghav and Swati. They’re very good at what they did for the cause their party espoused, also very good in the dramatics of politics.

They worked well for Arvind, till they did, and he, in turn, gave them too much, too soon, (Raghav was even made the party prabhari (incharge) of Punjab among other things), was given a bigger house then he was entitled, and a z plus security (though I doubt he's important enough that someone would plot to kill the pretty boy).

They are young people, got impatient, they wanted even more than they got, too easy, too early. Thus, this happened. 

The mainstream media is going gaga about it—about this eminent divorce. Hundreds of people have come up with their analysis, that Raghav is branding himself as an aam aadmi by talking about issues that are dear to the masses in Rajya Sabha, but, strangely skipping to talk about the nationwide dire shortage of LPG cylinders. He is categorically not criticising the Modi government nor backing his own party–that has been lately through an existential crisis. All their top leaders were behind bars, but for the notable exception of Raghav. Perhaps, he made the right choices in good time. They call such people: fair-weather friends.

When you exist with aplomb on social media, and good at manipulating public perceptions, it gives you a big advantage in this day and age. Nevertheless, you’re always in public glare, and one can see an inflexion point, if one follows closely, when things start to change, and you take a divergent path. 

And, in this case, it was not because of too much of bonhomie with the leader, almost bromance in the gen-z lexicon, but for sure, familiarity breeds contempt.

Raghav became closer to someone more than anyone ever before. Yes, I’m referring to his marriage to actor of promise, Parineeti Chopra, who didn’t do justice to her acting potential like her cousin Priyanka Chopra (a celebrity, who came to Raghav's rescue, also married to a celebrity). Nevertheless, Parineeti was celebrity enough for her marriage to the poster boy of gen z politics became viral on social network. 

They got married, it was a big-fat wedding, nothing aam adami about it, there are stories about the clothes they wore, the watches he sports, the places they visited over the extended honeymoon–none of it can be afforded or even fancied by an aam aadmi. But he is a self-anointed representative of the aam aadmi. Hypocrisy is the DNA of politics, but to think people, the aam aadmi in particular, are such a nincompoop is demeaning to the people he claims to represent.   

The life sentence—I mean the marriage—was like living the dream. He employed social media to demonstrate how much they are in love, still does, and I don't doubt it, never did. This is speculative but I have a feeling that this visibly overbearing influence of the life partner seemed to have changed his worldview, his politics, certainly his priorities in life and at work. For Raghav was not his usual self, or the one that we were used to, who would take on the government, and do it well. There was definitely a change of heart.

Now he wants to employ the same acumen, talent to distance himself from the party that made him big–I reassert–too early. I have known Arvind long enough to know that he’s intuitive and trusts people. It has worked out well for him in most cases. Raghav, along with Kapil and Swati are the exceptions that proves the rule.

Now we understand, it was about power and position, and when they got it, they outgrew the party and the party was over. Their personal ambition came to the fore:  look at politics as a paying career.  That's why neither Swati did, nor Raghav would resign from Rajya Sabha. A conscientious politician (I know it's an oxymoron) would resign from the membership of the parliament if they have made up their mind not to follow the party line that got them elected; it has happened many times. That's a betrayal. He betrayed himself.

Raghav will do well. He’s a smart man with a smart wife. Worldly-wise. He will work this out to his advantage, may already have made the necessary connections, and will reveal his cards but slowly.  Not that it matters to him, these intangibles: he has lost the respect of many, including mine.

He is sheepishly susceptible to the corrupting influence of power, and drying of idealism at the altar of age. This is how a young man becomes old. He has put on weight after marriage; his relatively puffier face to me is symbolic of his pompous ego and uncontained personal ambition. I’m disappointed, he gave in so meekly.