Active, irreverent, and supported by swarms of accounts including those of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), its spokespersons, and other ‘friends’ including some journalists, Twitter is increasingly becoming Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s favourite battleground, a perch from where he takes potshots at all and sundry – including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Meanwhile, in an effort to take the aam aadmi experiment to Punjab and Goa, Kejriwal and his ministers have been spending a lot of time away from the national capital. Their prolonged absence has raised many eyebrows, more so in the wake of the increasing number of chikungunya cases. On Monday, veteran journalist Shekhar Gupta had this to say:

This raised the hackles of Kejriwal, who responded with a below-the-belt answer:

Kejriwal’s tactic isn’t a new one. Online supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or its ideological mentor, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — often referred to as bhakts — have been doing the same for a long time now. The trick is to question the credentials of anyone with a contrary view, to insinuate that the critic is politically motivated, and thereby, not to be taken seriously.

Agreed there are many who question Gupta’s ways, but in this specific case, he is asking a valid question. No matter what Kejriwal’s personal opinion is, such a response was unwarranted.

This is not an isolated case. Days ago, the Delhi CM was sparring with India Today’s Rahul Kanwal on Twitter, calling him a “spokesperson” of the Prime Minister. Of course, in return, he was called a “troll”.

From a time when Kejriwal and the media naturally fell in love at first sight, to this juncture, when Kejriwal is, what really went wrong? Or was this falling out with the media inevitable, giving Kejriwal’s total transformation into a politician from the awe-inspiring activist who took on biggies without fear?

In his previous avatar as an anti-corruption crusader, the media was Kejriwal’s natural ally. As a politician, a journalist who keeps asking uncomfortable questions is an inconvenience. So, Kejriwal’s falling out with the media and vilification of journalists on Twitter come as no surprise. Not that he hates all journalists. His party has courted journalists who are perceived to favour AAP, offering them positions in governing bodies of colleges in Delhi University.

Party with a difference, you say? An aam aadmi CM, you say? We don’t really think so. And if this is how the AAP supremo speaks, it is no wonder that the party’s online supporters give bhakts a run for their money.