Hindustan Times (Gurugram)

Why is Yogendra Yadav tweeting about a movie on Arvind Kejriwal?

- Gulam Jeelani gulam.jeelani@htlive.com

NEWDELHI: Psephologi­st-turnedpoli­tician Yogendra Yadav on Thursday tweeted out a message in favour of “An Insignific­ant Man” – a political documentar­y, which, going by the trailers, is about his estranged Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) colleague and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Usually expressive about his love for movies, Kejriwal, however, has so far curiously refrained from making any comment on the 90- minute film releasing on Friday

“It is an honest film. It’s not about one or two individual­s, but about all of us. It’s not just about AAP or Delhi, it’s about possibilit­ies and perils of modern politics. “An Insignific­ant Man” releasing in theatres tomorrow. Do watch it,” Yadav tweeted on Thursday, on a day when no one from the AAP or the Delhi government attended the special premiere of the movie at a Connaught Place cinema hall.

Going by the trailer and posters, the film seemingly eulogises Arvind Kejriwal – mapping his rise from an activist to a politician. Yet the evident cold shoulder by Kejriwal and his trusted lieutenant­s in his party has puz- zled many. That too when Yadav, whose exit from AAP was rather unceremoni­ous, was going on to shower praises .

Party insiders said earlier promotiona­ls indicated the movie was about Arvind Kejriwal. But later they were informed it was more about Yogendra Yadav, who eventually emerged as the hero in the movie .

“The movie was supposed to be about Arvind Kejriwal. But we reliably came to know that Yogendra Yadav is the real hero. So the party has decided to stay away from sharing anything about the movie on social media,” said a party leader.

The initial reviews of the movie suggested Ya davis projected as someone who meticulous­ly planned the campaign strategies during the campaign that catapulted Kejriwal to his spectacula­r electoral success.

“That is perhaps why he is going gaga over the movie,” the leader said. No one from the party or the government attended the screening of the movie at PVR Connaught Place or in Bengalaru held on Thursday.

Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were expelled from the party in 2015 for “anti-party” activities. They later founded Swaraj Abhiyan, a political party.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court dismissed a plea seeking stay on the nationwide release of themovie, directed by Khushboo Ranka and Vinay Shukla , which the petitioner claimed was based on the life of Kejriwal.

“We have been getting mixed response on whether the documentar­y is about Arvind Kejriwal or Yogendra Yadav. It is not about any individual. It is just a story that we wanted to narrate ,” director Ranka told HT.

KEJRIWAL, HOWEVER, HAS SO FAR CURIOUSLY REFRAINED FROM MAKING ANY COMMENT ON THE 90MINUTE FILM RELEASING ON FRIDAY

 ?? VIRENDRA GOSAIN/ FILE ?? Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were expelled from AAP in 2015 for ‘antiparty’ activities.
VIRENDRA GOSAIN/ FILE Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were expelled from AAP in 2015 for ‘antiparty’ activities.

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