By Manjunath K. Shresthi
September 18, 2024
On March 21 st during the run up to the LS polls 2024, Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED, for his alleged involvement in the Delhi Liquorgate scam. In a relief of sorts, the Delhi CM, was granted interim bail by the supreme court (SC) on May 10. The bail came as a big relief to Kejriwal and to his AAP workers. AAP’s supremo went full steam against the Modi led BJP and campaigned extensively for the India Alliance. The AAP faced a rout in all the seven Lok Sabha seats the party contested in the national capital. The BJP made a clean sweep and bagged all the seats in its kitty.
The Delhi CM, had a three week window to campaign for his party during a major election year. He surrendered and was back in jail on June 2nd. The Lok Sabha results were declared on June fourth, and the BJP was not too happy with the final results. The India Alliance for all its contradictions surprised all, and the India National Congress (INC) finally made a comeback winning a total of 99 Lok Sabha seats after a decade.
AAP was born on the streets of Delhi in 2011; and Anna Hazare, was given a guided tour of the national capital. Kejriwal and team, were the beneficiaries of Anna’s fasting habits. Arvind Kejriwal and his dedicated supporters seen with him now, were present even then. Some of them who were considered a threat were either neutralized or unceremoniously had to exit the fledging party of their own volition. In December end 2013, the BJP emerged as the single largest party to the 70 members assembly, and none of the parties were able to get a clear majority. In January 2014, the AAP formed the government with the support of the Congress party. The alliance did not last long, and Kejriwal resigned, and was deridingly called ‘AK 49’ by then PM designate Narendra Modi. The AAP chief finally realised his folly and for his lack of political understanding. He soon made a comeback, the next year in February 2015. The AAP won 67 of the 70 seats, and repeated the same performance again in 2020 winning 62/70 seats.
As the AAP went on a pan India expansion to spread its ideology in the smaller states of the country; and it tried its electoral luck in coastal Goa, which went to assembly polls in early 2022. Post its disastrous performance in Goa, and after contesting the Gujarat assembly polls in December the same year. The BJP decided to clip the wings of AAP, and with different agencies at its command, all hell was unleashed on the AAP to all its visible and invisible supporters. The Delhi Liquorgate case was conveniently used by the BJP to put the AAP and its key ministers behind bars for long. Lok Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was released; followed by Dy. CM Manish Sisodia and finally the Delhi Chief Minister walked out of jail on September 13. Arvind Kejriwal, a politically savvy leader known for his swift calculated moves on September 15, surprised everyone when he announced his resignation. The timing was noteworthy, as PM Modi’s birthday fell on September 17. Keriwal became former CM of Delhi, as he handed his resignation to Delhi’s LG on the same day.
Atishi will now take over the reins of the government for the remainder of the time, till the election dates whenever they are announced. The new CM, enjoys great popularity and was the most visible and articulate face of AAP, when all the party’s bigwigs were jailed. Has Arvind Kejriwal pre-empted further moves by BJP and Congress? AAP and the Congress alliance did not work out in Haryana, where assembly elections are due in the first week of October. Can AAP work its magic in Haryana, as Arvind Kejriwal is a native of Haryana state? Has the Congress party blundered by not having a pre-poll alliance with AAP? Will the AAP’s entry into the electoral fray in Haryana help the BJP retain power?
Delhi’s soon to be sworn CM Atishi Marlena, said that ‘’she was pained by the decision of Kejriwal to quit’’, and they will work to get him re-elected whenever Delhi goes to assembly polls. Arvind Kejiwal has now taken the moral high ground, when he was taunted by the BJP to resign from the CM’s chair. By resigning as the CM, he has proven himself as a person with integrity and honest intentions. Whether he has out manoeuvred the BJP, will be known in due course. Will Kejriwal canvass for the India Alliance members who’ll face assembly polls in the states of Haryana, Jharkhand and Maharashtra?
