Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan has held Arvind Kejriwal solely responsible for the party’s humiliating defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections, declaring that this marks the "beginning of the end" for AAP. Bhushan, who was among the founding members of the party but was expelled in 2015, accused Kejriwal of betraying AAP’s core principles and reducing it to a party plagued by corruption and lack of transparency.
Taking to social media, Bhushan launched a scathing attack on Kejriwal, arguing that AAP was originally created to establish an alternative form of governance based on honesty, accountability, and democratic values. However, he claimed that Kejriwal systematically dismantled these ideals, concentrating power in his own hands and running AAP in an opaque, authoritarian manner.
"A party that was meant to revolutionize Indian politics with transparency, accountability, and democratic decision-making was rapidly converted by Arvind into a supremo-driven, non-transparent, and corrupt outfit," Bhushan asserted.
A major campaign issue in the election was the controversy surrounding the extravagant renovation of the Chief Minister’s residence, popularly dubbed the 'sheeshmahal' scandal. Bhushan accused Kejriwal of gross misuse of public funds, stating that the leader abandoned his earlier promises of austerity and modesty.
"He constructed a Rs 45 crore sheeshmahal for himself while portraying himself as a leader of the common man. He began traveling in high-end luxury vehicles and discarded 33 meticulously prepared policy reports from expert committees, dismissing them with the excuse that the party would make policy decisions at its convenience," Bhushan alleged.
Further attacking Kejriwal's leadership style, Bhushan argued that instead of focusing on real governance, he relied on bluster, media management, and propaganda. Calling the electoral loss a defining moment, he declared, "This is the beginning of the end for AAP."
Veteran social activist Anna Hazare also joined the criticism, subtly mocking Kejriwal’s claims of being a representative of the 'aam aadmi' (common man). When questioned about the lavish renovations of the Chief Minister’s residence, Hazare chuckled and recalled the promises Kejriwal once made.
"He used to claim that he would live in a simple room all his life, yet now we hear about his grand sheeshmahal. I am 90 years old, and I too could have built a luxurious home for myself. But happiness does not come from extravagant living—it comes from doing meaningful work for society," Hazare remarked.
Hazare had previously stated that AAP lost its way by prioritizing power and money over genuine public service. He had warned that the party’s credibility had been eroded due to its leadership's actions, a factor that ultimately contributed to its downfall.
After ruling Delhi for a decade, AAP faced an unprecedented electoral setback, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) storming back to power in the capital after 27 years. The BJP won a commanding 48 seats in the 70-member Assembly, leaving AAP with only 22. Many of AAP’s top leaders, including Kejriwal, were defeated in their respective constituencies, further cementing the scale of the debacle.
Despite the crushing loss, Kejriwal publicly accepted the mandate, congratulating the BJP on its victory and expressing hope that the new government would fulfill the expectations of the people. However, political analysts believe that AAP now faces an existential crisis, with questions being raised about its future direction and survival in the national political landscape.
