The BRICS TimesAAP’s Somnath Bharti criticizes Avadh Ojha, stating: “I have personal regard for you… but politics is not a short term project.”
Avadh Ojha has announced his political “retirement.” The popular civil services exam trainer fought the last Delhi assembly election. He contested on an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket. Ojha lost the Patparganj assembly seat. His loss to the BJP candidate was about 10 months ago. In his farewell post, he called AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal “a very great leader.” However, AAP’s senior leader Somnath Bharti sharply criticized Ojha’s decision.
Ojha’s Thank You and Personal Decision
Avadh Ojha, a huge social media celebrity, posted his decision on X in Hindi. He offered a “heartfelt thank you” to the top AAP leaders. This included Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Sanjay Singh. He also thanked “all AAP office-bearers, workers, leaders etc,” as per a PTI report.
He said, “I shall remain indebted for the love and respect you have given me.” Ojha further clarified, “Retirement from politics is my personal decision.” He added, “Arvind ji, you are a very great leader. Jai Hind.” He also thanked the Patparganj residents for their support. AAP had lost the election, ceding power to the BJP after a decade.
Returning to Teaching and Bharti’s Retort
The motivational speaker, Avadh Ojha, replaced former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. Sisodia had won Patparganj in 2013, 2015, and 2020. Ojha, however, lost to BJP’s Ravinder Singh Negi by over 28,000 votes. Sisodia himself lost his contest in Jangpura. Ojha’s retirement came days after he mentioned this desire in an interview. He confirmed he would not join any other party. He will return to his teaching career. That field is where he became famous among aspirants.
Senior AAP leader Somnath Bharti reacted to the X post. “I have personal regard for you… but politics is not a short term project,” Bharti wrote. He remarked, “A person of your maturity and prominence should have weighed options.” Bharti added he should have done so “before stepping into politics and that too with AAP.”
The former Malviya Nagar MLA stressed that others worked hard from the start. They could have been given the Patparganj ticket. Bharti said the party gave him the chance. The party believed he would work “irrespective of the electoral results.”
The lawyer-politician called AAP “the future of India.” He asked which party discusses essential reforms. These include education, healthcare, and basic needs for the common people. He lamented that others ignore these concerns. Bharti’s post concluded: “Please listen to speeches of BJP and Cong leaders, NO ONE talks of basic concerns common people are facing. Not done, Ojha ji!”
