Kejriwal arrest: AAP explores options; will Sunita replace her husband as Delhi CM?

 Party leaders maintain that Kejriwal will run govt from jail

Mohit Sharma, The Week, March 23, 2024 :The suspense over the next move of the Aam Aadmi Party deepened even as Sunita Kejriwal, wife of arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, read out the latter’s message soliciting support of the people. 

The tone and tenor of the message delivered by AAP supremo’s wife added fuel to speculations that she might step into her husband’s shoes. Sunita has always been seen by her husband’s side on all important occasions ever since Kejriwal started his journey from an activist to the three-time chief minister of Delhi. In the 2020 Assembly elections, Sunita had managed the campaign in New Delhi constituency while her husband campaigned for the party's other candidates. She also campaigned for the AAP in the Assembly elections in Punjab, where she addressed the women electorate on the pro-women promises of the party. 

The message Sunita read out today sought to remind the people about the welfare measures of the AAP regime in Delhi and was also an attempt to tap into the goodwill for Kejriwal. The message reminded the people that he was their 'son' and 'brother'.

Speaking from the same setting her husband uses—with a national flag, pictures of Bhagat Singh and B.R. Ambedkar in the background—she said, “Your son and brother Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has sent a message from the jail.” 

“Whether I am inside the jail or not, I will continue to serve the country. My entire life is dedicated to the country. I have struggled a lot in my life, and I know that this will continue. Therefore, this arrest has not surprised me,” she read out the message. 

“I appeal to them to trust their brother, their son. There is no jail that can keep him behind bars for long. Main jald bahar aaounga (I will come out soon) and keep my promise.” 

The fact that the AAP chose her to deliver the address reflects that the party wants to continue communicating with the people without hampering the “personal connect”. 

Some reports even claim that Kejriwal’s arrest may go in favour of the AAP and the sympathy factor may kick-in. This may turn out to be true as there are a lot of swing voters in the national capital. 

“The sympathy factor may work in AAPs favour as some polls show,” said an expert. 

Even as her morning address ratcheted-up the talks that she might replace her husband as the Delhi chief minister in times of such crises, senior AAP leaders maintained that he will continue to be the CM. But, how long he can remain as the CM from jail is a big question that the AAP will have to face sooner or later. 

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai, meanwhile, said that the fight against the BJP-led central government will continue and the PM House gherao will be done on March 26. “We are reaching out to everyone to join hands with us in fight against this tyrant regime,” said Rai. 

For now, the AAP, it seems, is keeping all its ends loose.