Arvind Kejriwal is an Indian politician and the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He is also the former Chief Minister of Delhi. Before venturing into politics, Kejriwal was a civil servant, having graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur with a degree in mechanical engineering. He later joined the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) as a Joint Commissioner of Income Tax.
Arvind Kejriwal rose to prominence as an anti-corruption activist during the India Against Corruption movement, which gained widespread support in the early 2010s. In 2012, he founded the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to bring transparency and combat corruption in politics. Kejriwal became the youngest Chief Minister of Delhi in 2013, leading a coalition government with the Congress, but his tenure lasted only 49 days due to his resignation over the failure to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill. He was re-elected as Chief Minister in 2015, securing a historic mandate for AAP with a landslide victory.
In 2024, Kejriwal resigned as Chief Minister following his involvement in the 2022 excise policy scam. Allegations surfaced that changes made to Delhi’s excise policy benefited liquor suppliers, leading to investigations by central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Kejriwal denied the allegations, and after being granted bail in the case, he announced his intention to seek a “certificate” from the people in the upcoming elections. His leadership of AAP and the “Brand Kejriwal” face a major test in the 2025 Delhi assembly elections.
Kejriwal’s tenure was also marked by frequent clashes with Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, with tensions often escalating over administrative control and decision-making, particularly in areas that fell under central government jurisdiction.
Dear Shekharji,
I run short of adjectives on reading each article of yours. Brilliant insight steeped with dollops of sarcasm and little nuggets of wisdom maketh for an ideal piece! Just wish you were somehow involved in governing the country, would have made it a better place!
Keep them coming!
We are not amused!
Outstanding piece.. a solid reminder and practical and doable suggestions..Hope the decision makers will listen and act
There are mechanical devices that can chop the 6 – 8 inches of paddy stubble that remain after harvest, turning it into the soil, or shredding it and spreading it over the field. Many farmers cannot afford this option. Perhaps the state governments could pay for this, tapping into various cesses, including on sale of petroleum products. Normally, one does not favour adding to the list of subsidies, but the public health emergency in large parts of northern India is very real. It will lead to an epidemic of ailments, all the way up to cancer. 2. Odd – even is not a solution because those private vehicles are taking people to work, without which economic activity will be undermined. Tourism is bound to be affected. The attractiveness of this entire region for fresh investment, including FDI, is also being reduced. 3. To be fair to CM Kejriwal, the city of Delhi cannot be the unit for finding a solution. The Centre needs to work with the state governments. Till then, no Delhi Olympics, even dignitaries like President Macron will stay away.