Legislators from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) met with Sunita Kejriwal, the wife of incarcerated Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, expressing their solidarity for his continuation as Delhi’s top elected official and advocating for governing the city from Tihar Jail, according to informed sources.
An AAP functionary conveyed, “The MLAs [members of legislative assembly] assured Sunita Kejriwal that the 20 million people of Delhi stand with Arvind Kejriwal…[he] should not step down under any circumstances, and should administer Delhi from jail.” The functionary mentioned the participation of 55 lawmakers in the meeting, with three legislators—Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Satyendra Jain—behind bars, and four others absent from Delhi.
With 62 seats in the 70-member assembly, AAP dominates while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) holds the remaining eight.
An AAP lawmaker disclosed that the meeting with Sunita Kejriwal focused on the “current political scenario,” including alleged BJP attempts to lure AAP members and plans to arrest more party leaders.
This gathering occurred following Sunita Kejriwal’s inaugural public address on Sunday at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan during a unity demonstration organized by the Opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) ahead of the general elections. She lauded her husband as “a lion” who will not languish “behind bars” for long.
Asserting that Arvind Kejriwal remains entrenched in the hearts of millions across the nation, Sunita Kejriwal conveyed two emotional messages from him.
In response, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva alleged an internal power struggle within AAP, citing distrust among its members. Sachdeva claimed, “In court yesterday [Monday], Arvind Kejriwal exposed the names of [ministers] Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj in the excise scam.” He insinuated that Sunita Kejriwal seeks to gradually gain control of the party due to alleged corruption charges against Arvind Kejriwal.
Recently, special judge Kaveri Baweja remanded Arvind Kejriwal in judicial custody until April 15 in connection with the excise policy case, making him the fourth prominent AAP leader to face arrest.
AAP has consistently contended that the Enforcement Directorate’s probe into the excise case is politically motivated. Additionally, the party accused BJP of endeavoring to destabilize and oust the AAP government.
AAP legislator Rituraj Jha asserted in the Delhi assembly that BJP leaders offered him a Cabinet position and money to switch sides, alongside persuading 10 more lawmakers to follow suit.
The meeting between AAP lawmakers and Sunita Kejriwal transpired shortly after AAP minister Atishi alleged BJP’s plans to arrest her and three other AAP leaders—Saurabh Bharadwaj, Raghav Chadha, and Durgesh Pathak—in connection with alleged irregularities in the defunct 2021-22 excise policy.
Sachdeva dismissed Atishi’s allegations, affirming that investigations into the excise scam implicate various AAP leaders, and all will face repercussions as the probe unfolds.