Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Sanjeev Jha on Saturday questioned whether the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is scared of AAP's growing popularity in Gujarat, following the suspension of the party's Gujarat unit Instagram account. The development comes a day after seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs, including Raghav Chadha, resigned from the party.
Instagram Account Suspended Amid Local Body Elections
The official Instagram handle of AAP's Gujarat unit was suspended on Friday, just as the party was gaining significant support in the ongoing local body elections. The suspension has sparked allegations of political vendetta from AAP leaders, who claim the BJP is using underhanded tactics to stifle dissent.
Taking to social media platform X, Sanjeev Jha posted: 'Is BJP scared of AAP's growing popularity in Gujarat? Amid local body elections, @AAPGujarat's Instagram account, which was garnering massive support, has been suspended. This dirty politics of suppressing the voice of the people will not succeed. No one can stop change!'
Resignations of Rajya Sabha MPs
The Instagram suspension comes a day after seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs, including prominent leader Raghav Chadha, resigned from the party. The resignations have dealt a significant blow to AAP's parliamentary strength and have raised questions about internal dissent within the party.
While the exact reasons for the resignations remain unclear, sources suggest differences over party strategy and leadership. However, AAP has maintained that the resignations are part of a routine organizational reshuffle.
Political Reactions
The BJP has denied any involvement in the suspension of AAP's Instagram account, stating that social media platforms operate independently. A BJP spokesperson said: 'We have nothing to do with Instagram's actions. AAP should focus on its internal issues instead of making baseless allegations.'
Meanwhile, AAP has filed a complaint with Instagram and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, demanding the immediate restoration of the account. Party workers have also launched a campaign on other social media platforms to highlight the issue.
Background
Gujarat has traditionally been a stronghold of the BJP, but AAP has been making inroads in recent years, winning several seats in the 2022 state assembly elections and performing well in local body polls. The party has been particularly active in urban areas, where it has focused on issues like corruption and unemployment.
The Instagram account of AAP Gujarat had been instrumental in mobilizing support, with thousands of followers engaging with its content. The suspension is seen as a setback to the party's outreach efforts ahead of the final phases of local body elections.
