A recent opinion article in ThePrint by former editor of Organiser magazine Seshadri Chari on Arvind Kejriwal should be read with a pinch of salt. Especially since he happens to be an active RSS volunteer and a member of BJP’s National Executive Committee.
He potentially captures the frustration that established, often elitist parties have with the former Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party convener—a political novice and a complete outsider who has managed to capture the national imagination of an alternate politics in such a short period of time. More importantly, Kejriwal continues to set and drive Delhi’s political narrative, continuously outmanoeuvring the opposition despite being jailed in a dubious case for the past six months.
Rather than reflecting internally on what continues to make the AAP and Kejriwal almost invincible in Delhi, Chari resorts to a troubling classist perspective, positioning certain groups as foundational to the national capital’s identity while marginalising migrants as mere outsiders. He baselessly claims that most of the party’s voters are migrants, who are “starkly different” from the earlier settlers of Delhi.
Some of the statements in the article suggest that the contributions of some are inherently more valuable than those of others. This elitism not only diminishes the rich tapestry of experiences and backgrounds that shape Delhi today but also perpetuates a hierarchy that treats migrants as secondary citizens. By framing these citizens as the core voter base of the AAP, the author inadvertently extends this “secondary” identity to the party itself. Such a mindset is deeply troubling and contradicts the fundamental principles of our Constitution. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) must clarify its stance on the statements made in this article; otherwise, it risks facing significant scrutiny.
Also read: Arvind Kejriwal bail finally brings AAP leadership together. Opportunity to regroup, reset
Misleading facts
The article suggests that Kejriwal’s resignation was a default result made inevitable by the bail conditions set by the court. However, anyone with a basic understanding of the law knows that most of the bail conditions in the order were standard (restricting direct involvement in the conflict matter itself, such as attending the CM’s office). As senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi pointed out, no changes were made to the previous bail order issued in the PMLA case. Singhvi clarified that since Kejriwal didn’t hold any portfolio, he didn’t need to sign any files in the first place; he was only required to sign the files that went to the Lieutenant Governor, which the court still permitted him to do. Equally important, the article fails to mention that despite hundreds of Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers investigating the “alleged liquor policy case,” the agencies have failed to present a single chargesheet, primarily due to a lack of concrete evidence in the case.
In a broader picture, the article comments on Kejriwal’s supposed lack of intention to control corruption in Delhi. In 2014, a year after storming to power, the Centre curtailed the powers of the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), allegedly following a case against the Reliance Industries. In subsequent years, through various ordinances and presidential notifications, the power to appoint, transfer, and suspend government officers was taken away from the Delhi government. But the AAP’s intention of providing clean governance continued irrespectively, with one of the best indicators being infrastructural development. During his tenure, Kejriwal has claimed to have saved Rs 557 crore on 30 completed flyover projects—a feat previously unheard of in a country where a state BJP government spends more on demolishing a flyover than on constructing it.
Even after providing free water and electricity to all Delhi residents (and not just to select beneficiaries, as Chari patronisingly suggests), the Delhi government doubled the health and education budgets to 40 per cent of the overall budget, again a feat unheard of anywhere else in India. The overall budget increased from Rs 36,600 crore in 2014-15 to Rs 76,000 crore in 2024-25. More importantly, Delhi achieved a revenue surplus budget during this period, a feat accomplished by only a few other states. The Union territory continues to grow above the national average growth rate, a testament to efficient and professional fiscal governance. If the above public facts are not a testament to Kejriwal’s intent of delivering an honest government, I don’t know what is.
Condescending views
It comes across as ridiculously funny that someone of Atishi Marlena’s stature was termed “younger and inexperienced” by Chari. Now the chief minister of the national capital, Atishi is a gold medalist from St Stephens College and a Chevening and Rhodes scholar from Oxford University. She has a proven track record in the education sector, initially working in an NGO before leading government school reforms in Delhi. A committed party member since 2012, Atishi is also a former Lok Sabha candidate, an MLA for the past four years, and currently holds more than ten portfolios, including finance and education. Given her qualifications and contributions to the city’s education system, Atishi’s appointment as Delhi CM should be celebrated across party lines.
A more relevant example of a “dummy CM” would be Bhajanlal Sharma, the current CM of Rajasthan. He was a first-time MLA with no political experience who was appointed as the chief minister in a live press conference allegedly through a chit, without the concurrence of senior BJP leaders.
The BJP and its intellectuals have been trumped by an out-of-syllabus question—Kejriwal’s resignation following bail from the Supreme Court was the least expected move and has clearly left the opposition speechless. Chari is correct in stating that there is a lack of effective leadership within the BJP, but he also needs to acknowledge the political genius of Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP’s continued rhetorical dominance in Delhi’s political landscape—a city that is home not only to businesspeople, the working class, and RWAs, but also to migrants and labourers.
Ashutosh Ranka is a volunteer at the Aam Aadmi Party. He is a public health consultant and a graduate from IIT Kanpur and London School of Economics. Views are personal.
(Edited by Humra Laeeq)
Or, should I say, honesty trumped Arvind Kejriwal ? Whatever happened to the politics of change and honesty which this politican offered ! What has been exposed by a decade of antics is this – people have realised Arvind Kejriwal is not the brand it was advertised to be. Delhi residents have been pushed back in some crucial aspects too – from access to clean drinking water to broken promises of new government schools.
Very good analysis done by u sir.