Two years ago, as the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party celebrated its resounding victory in the Punjab assembly election, decisively defeating established political players, a section of AAP leaders were already eyeing the ominous clouds gathering over their party.
By then, there were enough indications that the BJP establishment at the Centre had resolved to aggressively pursue allegations of irregularities in the drafting and implementation of the excise policy—a showpiece project of the AAP aimed at reforming Delhi’s liquor trade.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had already named then-Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as an accused in the case and had begun arresting some AAP figures—starting with Vijay Nair, a businessman handling the party’s communications.
Despite this, the AAP leadership focused on maintaining the party’s morale by investing its firepower in electoral campaigns—whether in Gujarat, where it was contesting the assembly election, or in its bid to wrest the Municipal Corporation of Delhi from the BJP. Then came the unravelling.
First, it was Sisodia’s turn. On 26 February 2023, the CBI arrested him. Eight months later, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which had initiated a separate probe into the case in August 2023.
With bail petitions being rejected, the party was firmly in the grip of despondency. Speaking to this reporter two months after Sisodia’s arrest, a senior AAP leader admitted that the party was preparing for the worst.
Nearly a year later, as India prepared to elect its next government, came the crippling blow: AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED from his official residence on 21 March, becoming the first sitting chief minister to be arrested in independent India.
On Friday, the former Delhi Chief Minister walked out of Tihar Jail hours after the Supreme Court granted Kejriwal bail. The AAP, which governs Delhi and Punjab, will finally have its top leadership together after months, providing an opportunity to regroup and reset.
This is why Arvind Kejriwal is ThePrint’s Newsmaker of the Week.
Also read: 3 counts on which Kejriwal’s arrest has become a turning point in Indian politics
Delhi—real challenge for AAP, Kejriwal
Kejriwal’s presence is expected to boost the AAP’s campaign in Haryana. Since the AAP emerged in Indian politics, the party has relied heavily on Kejriwal’s sharp communication skills and his remarkable ability to connect with the lower middle class and the working class—key segments in urban election outcomes.
This was evident as he walked out of Tihar on a rain-soaked Friday in Delhi. “My life, every drop of my blood, is dedicated to this nation. I have faced numerous challenges in my life so far. They thought by putting me in jail they would break my spirits. But let me tell them that I have come out with a determination stronger than ever. I have gained strength 100 times more. I will continue to fight against the anti-national forces bent on weakening this country,” Kejriwal said.
Elections are also due in Delhi, AAP’s home turf, next year. More so than in Haryana, where the party is not a major player, the national capital presents a real challenge, especially on the administrative front. Unless addressed, this could affect the party’s political standing as well.
At the heart of the administrative challenge is the bail conditions imposed on Kejriwal, which bars him from visiting the chief minister’s office and the Delhi Secretariat, and from signing official files unless they require the approval of the Lieutenant Governor.
“This effectively means that Kejriwal is on bail physically. But the office of the Delhi Chief Minister remains in custody. And unless he gets to discharge his duties as the CM, the AAP will struggle to put Delhi’s governance in order. And it is the Delhi government’s schemes that have so far powered the AAP’s political wins in Delhi. Either he needs to function as a regular CM, or he needs to put Manish Sisodia in charge,” said a member of the AAP’s legal cell.
The party plans to challenge Kejriwal’s bail conditions in court. Observations from Justice Bhuyan, one of the two judges who granted Kejriwal bail, indicating disapproval of the restrictions, have given AAP circles some hope that the challenge might succeed.
However, Justice Bhuyan refrained from lifting the restrictions imposed by another bench of the Supreme Court that granted bail in the ED case. For now, according to AAP sources, Kejriwal is focused on reinstating Sisodia as Deputy CM.
“The party feels that can be done as the CM just needs to send his recommendation to the LG for his approval. So far it could not be done as the CM was in jail; Technically, even Cabinet meetings can be held by circulating files. It is not necessary for the ministers to sit around a table in the Delhi Secretariat to do so. All legal options are being explored,” the member of the AAP legal cell said.
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(Edited by Prashant)