The Aam Aadmi Party, or AAP, is a political party founded by Arvind Kejriwal in 2012. It was born out of a civil society movement — Indian Against Corruption — that received massive popular support in 2011-12 after public anger over corruption charges on the then Congress-led UPA government.
It won its first elections in Delhi in 2013, and came to power with outside support from the Congress. But the government lasted only 49 days as Kejriwal resigned since he was unable to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Delhi Assembly. AAP returned to power in 2015, winning an overwhelming 67 out of 70 seats in the Delhi Legislative Assembly. Under Kejriwal’s leadership, the government focused on addressing key urban issues like inflation, water, electricity bills, and public services, with a promise of free water and electricity for residents. AAP’s welfare schemes included initiatives like Mohalla Clinics for healthcare and expanding the Delhi Metro network. These initiatives garnered significant praise and boosted the party’s popularity.
However, AAP’s relationship with the central government, led by the BJP, has been marked by ongoing tensions, especially regarding control over the Delhi Police and other administrative matters. The party has frequently clashed with the Lieutenant Governor (L-G), who is appointed by the central government.
One of the biggest controversies surrounding the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in recent years has been the corruption charges linked to the 2021-22 Delhi excise policy. Several key AAP leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, have been accused of irregularities in the policy, which allegedly favored liquor suppliers. The case led to their arrests by central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Convener Arvind Kejriwal was also jailed in connection with the case. After being granted bail, Kejriwal stepped down as Chief Minister, with Atishi taking over the role.
I have noticed a strange phenomenon about BJP and AAP. Whenever BJP tries to harm AAP, it seems God or luck favours AAP. The video of how BJP won the Chandigarh mayoral election by fraud is the most recent example. However there are many such past events. The day BJP arrested Manish Sisodia, there came a front-page report about AAP’s famous education model with a front page picture of Manish Sisodia. So BJP’s plan to discredit Manish Sisodia failed miserably. When AAP decided to fight in the Gujrat state elections, BJP planned so many projects to make it a really grand event. But then the Morbi suspension bridge accident occurred which exposed BJP’s corruption badly. But it seems BJP has not learnt from such events. My guess is that bigger setbacks are waiting to happen for BJP, it’s pot is overflowing with sinful acts.