Rajkot: A day after resigning from all posts, Raju Karpada, former president of the Gujarat Aam Aadmi Party’s farmer wing, levelled serious allegations on Thursday against the party’s senior leadership, accusing it of neglect and internal sabotage.
Addressing a press conference in Rajkot, Karpada claimed that the party failed to extend legal assistance when he and other farmer activists were jailed following a protest in Botad district.
“I, and several fellow farmers, were in custody, yet the senior leadership remained completely inactive. Despite assurances that skilled lawyers would represent us in the High Court, not a single lawyer appeared at the first hearing. It felt as though the party was trying to trap me rather than support me,” he said.
Karpada further alleged that two senior state leaders had deliberately sought to prolong his detention and that key legislators, including former state president Gopal Italia, did not visit him in jail.
“If I reveal everything, many will find it difficult to respond,” he remarked.
He also criticised the party’s internal functioning, claiming that Gopal Italia and AAP General Secretary Manoj Sorathiya were operating as a “B-team” of the BJP within the organisation.
According to Karpada, certain party insiders consistently undermined leaders attempting to grow within the party.
Referring to a video controversy, he alleged that an old recording of him was edited and released prematurely while he was in jail to damage his reputation.
“A video scheduled for later release was uploaded early and edited to misrepresent me,” he said.
On the Hadadad village incident in Botad district, Karpada expressed disappointment over the imposition of Section 307 of the IPC against him, despite claiming that the protest had achieved its objectives.
He maintained that while “he is not afraid of legal consequences, the party’s failure to support him and fellow farmers left them without adequate representation.”
Karpada and Pravin Ram were named as the main accused in a farmers-police clash in Hadadad village, where charges including attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy and unlawful assembly were filed.
The two spent around three-and-a-half months in jail before being granted bail by the Botad District and Sessions Court earlier this month.
Clarifying his political future, Karpada said he is not joining any party at present but will continue to advocate for farmers independently.
“I plan to convene a large farmers’ convention and highlight their concerns. If a ruling party works positively for farmers, I may consider joining them in the future,” he said.
Originally from Dudhai village in Muli taluka of Surendranagar district, Karpada first gained attention after filing a complaint against a crop insurance company and subsequently led several movements on land measurement and insurance issues.
He joined AAP in 2021-22 and contested the 2022 Gujarat Assembly elections from Chotila, finishing second with 45,937 votes.
He formally resigned from the party on Wednesday, a move that could impact AAP’s position in the Saurashtra region, where the party has been seeking to strengthen its presence.
(IANS)
