The politics of Arvind Kejriwal is not about what is completed, however what might be accomplished. It is not about conference however about doing the unthinkable. That is how Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have been outfoxing the massive and resourceful Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Like together with his announcement to resign from the Delhi Chief Minister's publish, Kejriwal has repeatedly turned the tables on the BJP, sending asunder its best-laid out plans.
Kejriwal first did what was unprecedented in India's historical past. He obtained arrested and went to jail because the Chief Minister of Delhi. Then, for the six months he was in jail, he resisted the BJP's stress to resign.
Now, after being granted bail by the Supreme Court, he's giving up the CM's publish in what's a political sixer. This blunts many of the ballot arrows the BJP had been amassing for the Delhi Assembly polls which might be slated for February 2025.
From anti-incumbency to corruption taint to the chance of central rule, the one announcement by Kejriwal has taken away no matter benefit the BJP had gained.
And this is not the primary time that the IRS officer-turned-politician has shocked the BJP. There's a sample to his political peekaboo.
KEJRIWAL KEEPT BJP OUT OF POWER WITH CHARTER
The first time the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) got here in the best way of the BJP was in 2013.
The BJP was all set to type the federal government in Delhi using on the 15 years of anti-incumbency of the Congress authorities of Sheila Dikshit, when Arvind Kejriwal performed the get together pooper.
The fledgling AAP had gone to the polls and Kejriwal swore an oath on his youngsters's heads that he would not tie up with the BJP or the Congress.
Delhi noticed a hung Assembly with the BJP successful 31 seats and the AAP 28 within the 70-seat Assembly.
While the BJP turned down the Lieutenant Governor's supply to provoke steps for presidency formation, the AAP launched a constitution of 30 calls for.
The Congress, with seven MLAs, backed many of the AAP calls for, and Kejriwal, shocked the BJP by turning into the Chief Minister in December 2013 with help from the Congress. Kejriwal proved guarantees are to politics, what oars are to a pilot.
The first AAP authorities, nevertheless, lasted for simply 49 days.
In his resignation speech, Kejriwal accused the BJP and the Congress of going in opposition to his authorities due to its anti-corruption stance.
HOW KEJRIWAL MADE BJP THE OPPOSITION PARTY IN 2015
After Kejriwal resigned in February 2014, Delhi was beneath Central rule.
Under the Lieutenant Governor, unauthorised colonies have been regularised and the best way paved for the return of battery rickshaws. These actions have been seen as groundwork for the polls.
Many consider that the BJP, which was nonetheless the formidable participant in Delhi, would have accomplished nicely had polls been held early in 2014.
“The BJP is running away from elections because they are dead scared of losing in Delhi,” Kejriwal tweeted in October 2014.
This was amplified by AAP spokespersons, and helped undertaking the AAP as the primary get together and the BJP because the challenger.
As the BJP focused Kejriwal as a “bhagoda” (deserter) for quitting in 49 days, he reached out to each voter apologising profusely for having resigned because the CM, and begged for one more probability.
Delhi gave him a second probability. That too, with an awesome mandate. In the election held in February 2015, AAP gained 67 of the 70 seats.
KEJRIWAL RESISTS RESIGNATION CALLS, THEN RESIGNS
Kejriwal returned to type the federal government for a 3rd time in February 2020, successful 62 of the 70 seats.
The AAP confronted turmoil on this time period with the Delhi excise coverage case by which its high leaders, together with CM Kejriwal, have been alleged to have taken cash from liquor firms to border insurance policies favouring them.
After Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was put in jail, Kejriwal too was arrested by the ED in March and despatched to Tihar Jail. He made historical past as the primary CM to go to jail. Weeks earlier than that, Hemant Soren, when instructed he can be taken into custody, resigned because the Chief Minister of Jharkhand earlier than being arrested.
The BJP had been anticipating that Kejriwal would resign because the Chief Minister. But Kejriwal politics is all about delivering the sudden.
He stood his floor regardless of the BJP clamouring for his resignation, saying he would run his authorities from jail if wanted to be.
Then he doubled down, evaluating the “persecution” of AAP leaders to that of freedom fighters in the course of the British raj. He projected his standing the bottom as an ethical battle in opposition to an oppressive regime.
Barring the time he was allowed to marketing campaign for the Lok Sabha election, Chief Minister Kejriwal remained in jail for six months earlier than being launched by the Supreme Court on September 13 beneath strict bail situations.
Just two days later, on September 15, Kejriwal shocked the BJP once more, saying that he would “step down as the Chief Minister in two days”.
Kejriwal stated he would take the corruption case in opposition to him to the individuals's court docket, claiming that each vote for him can be a certificates of exoneration within the excise coverage case.
The transfer is nothing wanting a masterstroke, which goes to deprive the BJP of most of its ballot ammunition.
‘SHEESHMAHAL' TO BECOME DELHI CM'S RESIDENCE
By resigning, Kejriwal does not stay a “chief minister out on bail” however simply an MLA combating a corruption case.
The BJP would have attacked him as a “CM out on bail”, a line it has typically used in opposition to Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi within the Herald case.
Kejriwal, neatly, has snatched that chance from the BJP. It will not have the ability to goal Kejriwal as a “power-hungry” politician who clangs on to the CM's publish.
Also, Kejriwal is making an attempt to distance the AAP's Delhi authorities from the liquorgate taint. A recent face because the CM will work in direction of that disassociation.
Having resigned because the chief minister, Kejriwal may also transfer out of the Delhi CM's official residence, which had been dubbed “Sheeshmahal” for the cash spent on its amenities and decor. He has been staying within the bungalow since 2015.
The splurging of cash on the renovation of the Civil Lines bungalow was in stark distinction to Kejriwal's un-tucked shirt and slippers picture, which he cultivated to say the excellence of not being a daily politician.
With a brand new face in “Sheeshmahal”, Kejriwal will have the ability to disassociate with the handle of opulence and reconnect with voters with the picture of an aam aadmi.
Even the selection of Atishi to succeed him because the chief minister was Kejriwal's masterstroke.
By elevating a lady who's well-educated, has managed key portfolios and has been on the forefront of protests in opposition to his jailing, Kejriwal has given a face who the BJP would discover tough to assault.
The CM can spotlight the work accomplished by the AAP authorities whereas Kejriwal takes on the BJP politically in the course of the ballot marketing campaign.
If pragmatism is a synonym for politics, Arvind Kejriwal is a synonym for a political stunner. He by no means fails to shock and shock.
