In a glaring sign of anti-incumbency against the failed Delhi model of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), its senior leadership, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, have suffered a humiliating electoral defeat. Kejriwal lost by 3789 votes to Parvesh Sahib Singh.
With the clear electoral verdict from Delhi voters, Arvind Kejriwal has seemingly completed a full circle, from once seen as a corruption crusader to a government head reeked neck deep in Corruption.
The infamous Excise policy, the Delhi Liquor Policy, which was passed and rolled back in haste, was the major turning point and a major loss of face for the party which once saw its birth on the issue of Corruption.
Kejriwal promoted liquor shops, but it dented his image. Anna Hazare said on AAP’s performance in Delhi.
Sheesh Mahal, on the other hand, shattered Kejriwal’s facade of a Common man, which he maintained with a calibrated, careless, tugged-out shirt, pant outlook, chapals and a blue ballpoint pen worth around ₹5-10.
Manish Sisodia, Delhi’s former Deputy Chief Minister and the Number 2 in AAP, has conceded defeat in the Jangpura Assembly seat. Sisodia had shifted to the Jangpura seat in this election after he struggled and barely managed to scrape through in his last electoral battle from east Delhi’s Patparganj which he decided to desert this time. This is the first time in Jangpura history that the BJP has won this seat after independence.
Conceding his loss, Sisodia said BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah, who is set to win Jangpura this time, will address people’s concerns. Asked what was behind his defeat, he replied that he would analyse the results and come to a conclusion.
“Party workers fought well; we all did hard work. People have supported us as well. But I lost by 600 votes. I congratulate the candidate who won. I hope he will work for the constituency,” he said.
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Sisodia was credited with the overhaul of Delhi’s government schools in the first term of the AAP government. The second term, however, proved tough for him. He was arrested in February 2023 amid allegations of Corruption in Delhi’s now-scrapped liquor policy.
Soon after, he resigned as Deputy Chief Minister and gave up his other portfolios. After nearly one-and-a-half years in jail, the Supreme Court granted him bail. Following his release, Sisodia said he would return to the government only after the verdict in the ‘people’s court’.
