Elections are as much about politics as they are about emotions. It is an emotion that overrides everything else when a voter stands alone at the voting center in front of the EVM and presses the button. And it was this raw, unfiltered emotion that propelled the meteoric rise of Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The "Mufflerman" was not just a politician; he was a symbol of hope, a messiah for the common man, armed with a jhaadu (broom) to sweep away corruption and inefficiency from the system. AAP wasn’t merely a party; it was a movement, a phenomenon that promised to revolutionize Indian politics and give power back to the people. Yet, it was this very emotion that led to his undoing. In February 2025, after a decade of ruling Delhi, the same voters who had placed their faith in Kejriwal and his party chose to discard them, marking the end of an era.
Kejriwal's rise was not rooted in traditional political maneuvering but in an anti-establishment fervor that swept through Delhi like a storm. In 2013, when AAP made its debut, it wasn’t just another political party—it was a rebellion against the status quo. The people of Delhi, tired of corruption, dynastic politics, and inefficiency, saw in Kejriwal an honest, relatable, and determined leader who had sacrificed his career as an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer to fight for their rights. His attire—untucked shirts, simple slippers, and a pen tucked in his pocket—was a stark contrast to the suited politicians who had long dominated Delhi’s political landscape. He was a man of the people, for the people.
In 2015, this sentiment translated into a landslide victory for AAP, where it won an astonishing 67 out of 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly. It was an unprecedented mandate, one that even the BJP, at the peak of its popularity after Modi’s 2014 Lok Sabha triumph, could not have anticipated. The message was clear—Delhiites wanted change, and they saw Kejriwal as the torchbearer of that change. The world media, too, took notice. The New York Times, The Guardian, and Al Jazeera all wrote extensively about the "Aam Aadmi Revolution," with some even comparing Kejriwal to global anti-establishment figures like Bernie Sanders.
But revolutions are hard to sustain, and the cracks in AAP’s foundation began to show early. What began as a movement against corruption soon started exhibiting the very traits it had vowed to eliminate. Internal dissent arose, and key figures like Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan, Kumar Vishwas, and Ashutosh found themselves sidelined. Kejriwal, who had promised a new brand of politics, was now accused of being autocratic, sidelining those who questioned him. The party that once prided itself on transparency and inner democracy started resembling the very political establishments it had opposed.
By 2020, AAP was given another chance by the people of Delhi, winning 63 of the 70 seats. However, the sheen had started wearing off. Kejriwal, once seen as an anti-corruption crusader, had started playing conventional politics. His focus shifted from governance to expansion. The AAP contested elections in Punjab, Goa, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, and Haryana. While it secured a massive victory in Punjab in 2022, forming a government there, its presence in other states remained negligible. This expansion came at a cost—the governance of Delhi took a backseat.
The Delhi excise policy scandal of 2022 was perhaps the biggest turning point in AAP’s downfall. The party, which had prided itself on being incorruptible, found itself at the center of a massive liquor scam. Allegations emerged that AAP leaders had colluded with liquor barons to funnel money into the party’s election campaigns. The optics were disastrous. Kejriwal, the man who had once arrested corrupt ministers in his own government, now found himself accused of the same misdeeds. His most trusted aide, Manish Sisodia, was arrested. Several top AAP leaders faced legal scrutiny. For the first time, Kejriwal’s moral authority was questioned.
The irony was not lost on the voters. A party that came to power promising transparency was now embroiled in corruption cases. A leader who vowed to fight for the people was now seen prioritizing political survival. The perception that AAP had deviated from its founding principles became stronger. The very voters who had placed Kejriwal on a pedestal now felt betrayed.
His governance also came under the scanner. Pollution levels in Delhi remained dangerously high. The AAP's 2015 manifesto promised a 66% reduction in pollution, but by 2020, this promise was conveniently dropped. When confronted, Kejriwal blamed stubble burning in Punjab when Congress was in power. However, after AAP won Punjab, he shifted the blame to Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, both BJP-ruled states. The double standards were evident.
Similarly, Kejriwal’s promise of providing 20 lakh jobs remained unfulfilled. His much-hyped "Rozgar Budget" of 2023 turned out to be more of a marketing exercise than a substantive policy move. Promises of world-class roads, clean water, and better public transport remained largely unmet. While AAP did deliver on its free water and electricity schemes, these freebies came at the cost of financial mismanagement. Middle-class households, who found themselves outside the ambit of these benefits, ended up bearing the brunt of rising costs.
By 2025, AAP had lost the trust of its core voter base. The sentiment on the ground had changed. The party that was once seen as an alternative to corruption was now perceived as just another political entity. Kejriwal’s desperation became apparent. Just before the elections, he accused the Haryana government of deliberately poisoning Delhi’s Yamuna water—a claim that many saw as an act of political desperation rather than genuine concern.
Meanwhile, the BJP, with its well-oiled electoral machinery, capitalized on AAP’s weaknesses. It kept the pressure on Kejriwal and ensured that every misstep was highlighted. The 2025 elections were not just about governance; they were about trust. The people of Delhi had invested their emotions in AAP, and when they felt deceived, their retribution was swift.
When the voters stood in front of the EVMs in February 2025, it wasn’t just about policies or political strategies. It was about betrayal. It was about the realization that AAP was not the change they had hoped for. They pressed the button, not just to defeat AAP, but to erase the memories of broken promises.
Kejriwal and his party should understand that it takes a lot for people to turn away from someone they once considered their own. And when they do, it is nearly impossible to win them back.
