The AAP chief and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lost to BJP’s Parvesh Verma from the New Delhi constituency with a margin of 3,182 votes. Parvesh Verma is the son of the former Delhi Chief Minister. This marked a severe decline for IAS-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal who had emerged as the head of the anti-corruption movement spearheaded by Anna Hazare.
Reacting to the election results, Anna Hazare, with whom Kejriwal had always had a very close association during his anti-corruption campaigns, aired his doubts over the tarnishing of Kejriwal’s image. Hazare said, “I have been saying for a long time that while contesting elections, a candidate must have a character, good ideas, and no dent on their image. But, they (AAP) didn’t understand it. They got tangled in liquor and money — his (Arvind Kejriwal) image was dented because of it and that’s why they are getting fewer votes in the election.”
#WATCH | On #DelhiElectionResults, social activist Anna Hazare says, “I have been saying it for a long that while contesting the election – the candidate must have a character, good ideas and have no dent on image. But, they (AAP) didn’t get that. They got tangled in liquor and… pic.twitter.com/n9StHlOlK9
— ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2025
Hazare continued, “People saw that he (Arvind Kejriwal) talks about character but gets involved in liquor… In politics, allegations are made. One has to prove that he is not guilty. The truth will remain true. When a meeting was held, I decided that I would not be part of the party and I have remained away from that day.”
Reasons Behind AAP’s Defeat in Delhi
Several factors led to AAP’s defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections. These are:
Legal Problems Haunting AAP Leaders: Main party figures such as Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Satyendar Jain were involved in the excise policy and money laundering cases. Their arrest and release on bail between August and October interrupted AAP’s preparation work for the campaign.
Internal Indignation: There was a sort of internal upsurge among councillors against the stagnation of governance within the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).
BJP’s Blasts: BJP attacked AAP’s liquor policy and also opposed the huge expenses on renovation of Kejriwal’s residence, which was largely perceived as avoidable.
Performance of MCD: AAP’s victory in MCD polls became a backlash for AAP as the corporation’s operations came to a halt mainly due to the resistance of opposition to form the Standing Committee.
Frustration Among Councillors: Some councillors were reportedly considering switching to BJP due to a lack of progress in MCD-related matters.
Public Service Issues: Worsening issues in Delhi’s water supply and sewer management added to voter discontent. AAP’s failure to release Rs 4,000 crore to the Delhi Jal Board only worsened the situation.
Conflict with Lieutenant Governor: AAP’s constant conflict with Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor further hindered its governance efforts.
BJP and Congress Counterattacks: BJP and Congress successfully countered AAP’s claims by portraying them as excuses for poor governance. Congress also capitalized on the Sheila Dikshit legacy, drawing a comparison between it and AAP’s governance record.
The amalgamation of all these factors with the excise scam controversy resulted in AAP’s electoral downfall in Delhi.
