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.
Yeah some people don’t care that AK’s govt has never been convicted of any corruption, that they consistently invested more in health and Keynesian economics more than anybody else – both of which, however much pappu-fanboys may want to deny, did help Delhiites fight. They don’t care that AK was among the first in the world to try home isolation, plasma bank and post-COVID recovery wards.
All some people care about is that anybody who kicks Congress’ bottom is a “pseudo-liberal sanghi”.
To Shivam Vij, I say this – if you’re so convinced that Amir Shah is the one controlling COVID situation in Delhi, then how come he hasn’t done so for NDA states including his home turf of Gujarat? And though the situation did get out of hand at times, it was nowhere near as bad as NY that u seem to imply. NY remains the worst affected hotspot in the world and USA accounts for about 25% of the global covid death count.
Even if u have valid criticism to make, when u paint it thru political bias, it will be laughed out of debates.
Print should have some bar even for opinion pieces. Allowing authors like him and Abhijit Iyer-Mitra is the reason I will never pay for The Print. The Wire, The Hindu, Newslaundry, Scroll and The News Minute holds up much better standards and I’m happy to pay for them even when they factually criticize AAP
LoL! Seven years later India’s liberal media and intellectuals who have been crapping about Kejriwal the new poster boy , discover what the rest have been saying all along. This man and his party is nothing but a chimp swinging from one gimmick to another- starting from his campaign to become a “Giant-Killer” by contesting against Modi at Varanasi, to his invitation to Delhi’s TV media to film him driving every day to work in his old Maruti (and quietly consigning it to the dustbin once he came back as the CM the second time, and going around with a cavalcade of Toyotas – with no TV cameras panning him now) and so many other dramebaazi- this man is nothing but the clown who gives paisa vasool entertainment. Sadly, many see him and his Party as him as India’s last hope
As far as Covid is concerned nobody can do much in a respiratory pandemic unless the virus helps and turns less hostile. I think it has already done that. To my mind atleast 50% of Delhi is already infected till date. Meanwhile every leader in the world are playing to the gallery to keep their cheering crowd happy. Kejriwal is no exception.
Didn’t knew that even print hires under the table bjp IT cell workers to write such illogical, irrational and highly biased articles. This guy has put many allegations against AAP but miserably failed to back any of them with proper reasoning and logic.
Seem like there was a plan to tarnish Arvind Kejriwal’s image just at the time of chhath pooja so the immature but highly paid (again under-the-table) writer ended up writing a poorly planned article just like bjp releases its policies (read demonetization, GST etc.)
Absolutely spot on…seems like BJP spokesperson is blabbering….
In short, the pandemic just opens the unpreparedness of the government of all the states.
Don’t worry vij, the people of Delhi will give him Saffron ‘Stole’ by the next term of election, till then let us enjoy how many rabbits he can pull off from his Magic Hat. A Very good article.
Thanks
Nagesh Rao.
Nothing can tick of the Urban naxals like politicians participating in Hindu Poojas. Muslim Iftar parties are ok.
Author’s views seems completely biased. It seems author is not telling facts but telling that a specific person is not good.
Disappointed by reading this article on Print.
Arvind Kejriwal is some notch above your venerated dynast– Obama certified Now . At What ever position he is now or whatever may be differences in his style of working , he earned his present political standings by working hard to establish himself as man to watch. For many people believe that in years to come he may develop as a pivot around whom politics of India may revolve. .. So it is not surprising to ridicule him by a family retainer journalists as most of your articles are not a well-researched journalist output but sheer sheet of propaganda for departed dynasty of pre-2014 era. Carry on it gives some enjoyment to read non-sense also.
To understand the “Kejriwal” model of good governance one has to look further back to the “Gujarat” model. It was full of gimmicks, positive spin by planting stories on pliant journalists and intimidating authors who tried to question the narrative. Not a single Gujarati I know who was born outside Gujarat wanted to go back to Gujarat to take advantage of the “Gujarat” model. Infact Gujaratis make up one of the highest applicants for immigrant visas. No high end jobs in AI, tech, medicine, aviation, robotics emanate from Gujarat. They only have work for labour class Biharis who are forced to look for jobs anywhere because of the pathetic state of Bihar. So when the Gujarati gang could successfully hoodwink the rest of India with their Gujarat model why would Kejriwal not try with his “Delhi” model. Soon you may also get a taste of “UP” model on the national scene! Such are the times we live in.
bahaha this is so amusing to watch. it doesnt take much for left to eat their own.
I am unable to gift him a saffron stole. Instead I give him a free advice!
Let him grow a beard! It comes at no cost, certainly at no cost to the exchequer! But his messaging will be complete.
Yes, this gutter hack trying to put labels –“oh, we are pseudo sickulars and we decide who we label as right wing, who pursue identity politics” and such nonsense. This bigoted hack’s beard is on fire. Pathetic creature. Should crawl back into his foul gutter — his natural habitat.
I don’t understand why you guys are against aap and arvind kejriwal . everytime i read your article it only makes me upset , It is the only party which is corruption free and is doing some work and ,media should appreciate their work instead of critisising their every move Do you really want bjp and congress to loot our nation for upcoming years are you against the development of our country?
It is an entirely correct assessment of AK. AK was a hope for sometime. I had still given him the benefit of the doubt when he avoided challenging Hindutva communalism at the time of the Delhi elections, to avoid polarisation. But I realised that he had no guts or principles when he did not stand up for the Delhi riot victims – because that would mean standing up for Muslims.
As the author says, Congress and Aap want to say they are also Hindus, and they have nothing else to offer. But those who are suckers for Hindu communalism go for the real thing.
Indeed, there is no Delhi model, there is a Kerala model that is recognised internationally.
It is not that the Hindutva fascsists know how to run the economy, and manage Covid and China, better than AAP or Congress. But they know how to continue with their anti-Muslim posturing, and the Hindus will buy that.
India flattered to deceive, she was on the threshold of being an emerging economy due to MMS, but that is gone – for good. Modi has undermined the economy but Hindus don’t care. Perhaps it is best for India. Hindu chauvinism would increase if they had money as well in their pockets.
Kissinger had dismissed India as the largest unimportant country. That assessment is still true, although many Hindus today are full of themselves and think Modi has made them some one in the world, and everyone is in admiration because of yoga. Modi put up some glamorous shows for Hindus abroad, and the Hindus think the whole world is in awe of India. Leaders of other countries do not go abroad and stage such shows, because they do not have such large diasporas. The reason India has such a large Hindu disapora is actually because India is not a success, so Hindus go abroad and settle !
Shocking Statement by
” THE STUPIDO ” .
Does he think that fake news spread by AK that churches were attacked by HINDUS just before elections to create communal disharmony was
” JUST A GIMMICK ” .
Support to anti CAA PROTESTORS with biryani and later WITH MANPOWER FOR RIOTERING was
” JUST A GIMMICK ” .
SHOCKING SUPPORT FOR
aCUSE aBUSE pARTY.
A hack job by RaGa loyalist.
To pick one, let other states run OPDs.
It is regrettable that the author considers doing a puja in a temple, communal.