Gujarat : AAP MLA Chaitar Vasava Surrenders After Month-Long Hideout

Bharuch : The political atmosphere in Gujarat witnessed a high-voltage drama on Thursday as Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Chaitar Vasava surrendered before the police in a month-long case. This came a day after another AAP MLA resigned from the party, fueling speculation that more may follow suit and join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Vasava was booked under various IPC sections, including hurting a forest officer, rioting, unlawful assembly, criminal intimidation, and arms offenses. He allegedly threatened a forest official on November 2nd, 2023, and subsequently went into hiding. Despite his anticipatory bail pleas being rejected by both the lower court and the High Court, he remained elusive while attempting to obtain Supreme Court bail.

On Thursday, Vasava addressed his supporters before surrendering. He declared, “My family and I will continue fighting for the rights of tribals, youths, and marginalized people till our last breath. I have complete faith in the judiciary and believe it will deliver justice.”

Narmada District’s Deputy Superintendent of Police, Ghanshyamsinh Sarvaiya, informed that Vasava was arrested under the filed criminal complaint. He will remain in police custody for 24 hours before being produced before the court. The court will then decide whether to grant further police remand.

Political analysts believe this surrender is a calculated move by AAP to gain political mileage from Vasava’s case. Party National Joint Secretary Gopal Italia also announced the party’s intention on Wednesday, after one of its MLAs quit the party.

Rumours suggest the party plans to field Chaitar Vasava from the Bharuch constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This plan, however, hinges on an alliance with the Congress party, who must agree to allocate the seat.

Both Congress and BJP have reportedly attempted to lure Vasava into their fold in recent months, but failed to do so. Following the criminal complaint, Vasava’s family alleged a BJP ploy to frame him for rejecting their advances.

The true impact of this move remains unclear. Some AAP members believe it’s a desperate attempt to salvage the party’s image amidst a crisis of confidence within its cadres.

State leaders are trying to maintain a positive facade, but face the challenge of keeping their four remaining MLAs on board. Should another MLA resign, it could significantly demoralize party workers and significantly impact their electoral prospects.