New Delhi: The meteoric rise of Arvind Kejriwal, an anti-corruption crusader who became Delhi chief minister thrice, has been one of the biggest success stories in Indian politics over the last decade.
Now into his third term — including a brief 48-day stint in 2013-14 — the Delhi CM has established himself as a calm administrator.
But in these seven years, Kejriwal has retained a close group of advisors and aides, including some who have been with him since his days as an RTI activist before 2011.
While his camaraderie with Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Health Minister Satyendar Jain, MP Sanjay Singh, trusted confidante Pankaj Gupta and youth leader Raghav Chadha is commonly seen, many of his aides work behind the scenes, playing a pivotal role in assisting the CM in various capacities.
ThePrint spoke to sources in the party, to take a look at who constitute ‘Team Kejriwal’ — the lesser-known faces that ensure things are under control.
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Jasmin Shah — the comms man
Jasmin Shah looks after the CM’s communications. He remains present during Kejriwal’s crucial meetings, and plays a key role in communication outreach for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and provides feedback to the CM.
He has worked on several crucial transport reforms of the Delhi government such as the electric vehicle policy, common mobility card, bus route rationalisation, among others. His understanding of policy and ability to work with limited resources makes him one of the most valuable members for AAP.
He was appointed vice-chairman of the Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi (DDCD), a policy advisory body of the government, in 2018. He succeeded Ashish Khetan, who resigned from the post in August 2018. Before the formation of DDCD, Shah was advising the Delhi government on budgetary and transport policies.
An alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Madras and Columbia University in the US, Shah is also an advisor to Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot.
Shah was the architect of Delhi’s first comprehensive Outcome Budget for 2017-18, a first-of-its-kind initiative in India to bring in complete transparency and accountability in public spending.
Before working with the Delhi government, Shah worked with a Bengaluru-based NGO Janaagraha, where he conceived the ‘Jaago Re’ voter awareness campaign.
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Durgesh Pathak — the force behind AAP’s national ambition
The cover picture on the Twitter and Facebook accounts of this AAP member features Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara. Durgesh Pathak, at first impression, is more a 30-something wide-eyed activist than a politician.
But he is in-charge of the AAP’s national organisation building. He is among Kejriwal’s most trusted insiders, particularly over the party’s expansion at the national stage.
Pathak was instrumental in building a strong grassroots organisation in Delhi before the 2015 assembly election, and in Punjab before the 2017 state polls.
Currently, he dons many hats, including AAP’s in-charge for the municipal corporation for Delhi.
His proximity to the CM was visible in 2016, when he was at a meditation centre in Himachal Pradesh with Kejriwal as the only AAP leader with the boss. Many even called him the “next Kejriwal”. On 3 August 2016, ‘Happy Birthday Durgesh Pathak’ even trended on Twitter.
A native of Sikohara village near Gorakhpur, Pathak is an MA in English from Allahabad University.
Bibhav Kumar — the ‘Man Friday’
Personal secretary to the CM, Bibhav Kumar, a former video journalist, is a confidante of Kejriwal.
He came in touch with the AAP chief in early 2000 and edited videos for a magazine launched by the members of India Against Corruption — the umbrella body that organised the 2011 movement and later evolved into the AAP.
Guiding him through his daily arrangements ever since, Kumar grew into one of Kejriwal’s most trusted people, his assistant and ‘Man Friday’, all rolled into one.
People close to both say he is the CM’s sounding board, who also ensures Kejriwal follows the right diet and takes his medicines on time.
In an incident during Kejriwal’s trip to Punjab ahead of the 2014 general elections, the CM had an excruciating toothache due to which he wanted to cancel the trip despite being halfway there. It was Kumar who ensured that Kejriwal was given food immediately so he could take his medicines.
Sources in the party claim that for a diabetic like Kejriwal, who can often be careless with his health, Kumar plays a significant role in ensuring the CM is taken care of.
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Gopal Mohan — the tech expert
Gopal Mohan is Kejriwal’s proxy in his constituency — New Delhi. From arranging the CM’s Sunday meetings with people to looking at which CCTV camera has to be installed where, Mohan is Kejriwal’s right-hand man. He also represents the CM in the New Delhi Municipal Council.
Mohan is also the point person for Delhi government projects like doorstep delivery, free WiFi project and various mobile applications including the one for Covid-19. His actual area of expertise lies in technical know-how.
A graduate of IIT-Delhi, Mohan joined AAP as an anti-corruption advisor in 2012 with a salary of only Re 1. He was earlier a part of the India Against Corruption movement. Mohan started advising Kejriwal on several matters after Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal quit that role.
Akshay Marathe — media advisor
Akshay Marathe joined the AAP at the time of its inception in Mumbai in 2011. But he was a part of the IAC movement as a 15-year-old.
Marathe, who started out as a volunteer in Maharashtra, worked on organisation building and social media until he moved to Delhi in June 2016 to work with AAP leader Atishi and Deputy CM Sisodia on education reforms.
That year, he became one of the youngest spokespersons of any party. Initially, he built Atishi’s outreach and served as the communication director for her Lok Sabha campaign in 2019.
Following this, he was called to join the CM office. This is where his one-to-one interaction with Kejriwal increased and he set up the first dedicated social media unit for the CM’s official communication.
He formally advised Kejriwal on communication strategy through the 2020 Delhi election and the Covid-19 pandemic. Over time, he has developed a more informal relationship with the CM.
On Diwali last year, Kejriwal asked Marathe if he wished his family. When he replied saying no, the CM asked him to make the call in front of him and even exchanged greetings with Marathe’s father.
A graduate from Mumbai’s St Xavier’s College, Marathe is currently pursuing public policy at Harvard Kennedy School in the US. He continues to be a party spokesperson.
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Amit Mishra — social media advisor
An MBA graduate from Uttar Pradesh Technical University, Mishra came in contact with Kejriwal during the IAC movement.
For many years, when the Delhi CM was working with a Delhi-based public policy NGO Public Cause Research Foundation (PCRF) as the founder, he used to direct the calls he couldn’t take to Mishra — as an associate.
A native of Bihar, Mishra was also part of the team that received calls to the IAC helpline.
It was during this time that he got a call from a young woman, who claimed that her father died after a heart attack as he couldn’t bear the shock of an inflated electricity bill. This episode eventually led to the AAP government’s policy against high power tariffs.
In the past four-five years, Mishra has handled social media and communication for the CM.
Rishikesh Kumar — the legal consultant
Rishikesh Kumar, or ‘advocate Rishi’ as he is more fondly known in the AAP circle, is the Delhi CM’s go-to person for all things legal.
Also an ex-member of the PCRF, which worked on a lot of RTI-related matters, Rishikesh came in contact with Kejriwal in 2009. Ever since, he has been the legal advisor for not only the CM, but also his wife Sunita Kejriwal and other family members.
A graduate of the National Law University in Delhi, he initially began working for Kejriwal on a meagre stipend. He also played a key role in drafting the Lokpal Bill.
Swati Maliwal — trusted associate
A popular face in the Delhi government, Swati Maliwal has been the chief of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) since 2015. But this engineering graduate’s work relationship with Kejriwal goes back much longer. Besides having spearheaded several campaigns on women-related issues and the RTI Act, Maliwal is among Kejriwal’s most trusted insiders.
She was among the youngest members of the IAC movement. Associated with Parivartan, an NGO co-founded by Kejriwal and Sisodia, Maliwal has been the CM’s go-to person for all women-related issues in the capital.
Her appointment as DCW chief had become a flashpoint between the AAP government and then L-G, Najeeb Jung, who declared her nomination null and void. But Kejriwal stood behind her.
Ashwati Murlidharan — the campaign supervisor
Among the earliest members of the party, Ashwati Murlidharan has had a long association with Kejriwal. She was one of the founding members of the IAC. Last year, she supervised AAP’s Jan Sabhas during assembly elections.
Having played similar roles in the 2013 and 2015 elections, Murlidharan, who was earlier the joint secretary to the CM, is also known to be the one who took copious notes during Kejriwal’s meetings.
However, for the past two years, she has been working with the DDCD after she realised she wanted to diversify her role in the government.
An English graduate from Delhi University, Murlidharan caught the public eye after her wedding last year, wherein the CM and his family landed in a row over attending the function without masks.
(Edited by Amit Upadhyaya)
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A person is known by the company he keeps. Lovely to see the educational credentials of each of these behind d scene persons & their desire to bring changes in d soceity even without being in the limelight. No wonder AAP’s policies r built keeping the well being of majority of citizens in mind
Kejrewal should immediately appoint state wise leaders who are highly educated, non-corrupt and work centric. Taking people from BJP , Congress and other run of the mill parties should be avoided unless they have unblemish and proven record. After the slow death of Congress there is a vacuum in the political atmosphere which people expect AAP to fill and quickly.
Are they bureaucrat type or leaders of note. They disappear as soon as the leader looses.
Wow! When did Print became a mouthpiece of AAP. Shekhar talks of commando comic channels who are in hand in glove with many political parties. Look at Aneesha’s tweets and then this article. Utter disappointment.