‘Beginning of AAP’s end’: Ex-partymen blame Kejriwal for Delhi loss
Ousted AAP leaders are blaming Kejriwal for AAP's dismal performance in Delhi polls; Kejriwal converted AAP into a 'supremo-dominated, corrupt party', they said
It is not just some leaders of the Delhi Congress who feel vindicated by the drubbing the Aadmi Party (AAP) has received in the recently concluded Delhi elections.
Former AAP leaders too are taking potshots at AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal and blame him for the party's dismal performance in the Delhi polls.
End of AAP
In a post on X, ousted leader Prashant Bhushan accused Kejriwal of transforming AAP formed for “alternative politics” into a "supremo-dominated, non-transparent and corrupt party". This shift from transparent politics to authoritarianism is a key factor in the party's downfall, he added.
Bhushan also criticised Kejriwal's belief that politics could be done by "bluster and propaganda". And made a dire prediction that "this is the beginning of the end of AAP".
Also read: Delhi didn't just vote in BJP, it also sought to fix warring rival parties
Setback for AAP
Yogendra Yadav, meanwhile, was more moderate in his comments, describing the loss as a setback for not just AAP but for all those who dreamt of alternative politics 10 to 12 years ago. The party “gave up” on alternative politics soon after coming to power and limited itself to welfare schemes that reached a saturation point, Yadav said.
The BJP swept the Delhi elections winning 48 of the 70 seats, while AAP won just 22 seats. This is a massive comedown for the AAP after its 2020 election tally of 62.
AAP's ally in the INDIA bloc, the Congress fought the Delhi poll 2025 separately targeting Kejriwal as much as they attacked the BJP. However, they failed to win even a single seat.
Also read: Arvind Kejriwal's hubris led to AAP's debris
Sheesh mahal charge that stuck
Further, Bhushan in his long post also attacked Kejriwal for building a ₹45 cr sheesh mahal for himself and for travelling in luxury cars. The BJP's 'Sheesh Mahal' charge was central to the saffron party’s election campaign and the AAP had a tough time countering it.
According to Bhushan, Kejriwal trashed 33 detailed policy reports of expert committees set up by AAP, saying that the party will adopt expedient policies when the time comes.
Bhushan was part of the India Against Corruption movement led by Anna Hazare and worked alongside Kejriwal to form the AAP in 2012. Bhushan and Yadav were expelled from AAP in 2015 due to internal conflicts and differences over the party's direction and leadership style.
Watch | Talking Sense With Srini | BJP triumphs in Delhi election as AAP’s credibility erodes
Stalinist purge
At that time, Bhushan also penned an open letter which he shared in his post. The 10-year-old letter addressed to Kejriwal after being expelled by AAP's disciplinary committee leadership had compared their removal to a "Stalinist purge of dissenters".
In his letter Bhushan had told Kejriwal that he should read Orwell's 'Animal Farm' to see the parallels between Stalin's Russia and what is happening in their party (AAP) today.
"God and history will not forgive what you are doing to the party," he had written in the letter.
Pointing out that just delivering on governance is not enough and that AAP had stood for "clean and principled politics and corruption free governance", which was a much bigger dream.
“The fear that I have, is that after how you have behaved and the character traits that you have showed, this dream of clean and principled politics that the Aam Aadmi Party was founded on may well turn into a nightmare. But still, I wish you well," he wrote.
Kejriwal had defended his decision of expelling the leaders saying that "limits were crossed" and "conspiracies hatched".
Also read: Out of power, AAP to have tough time fighting legal battles, keeping its flock united
Justice delivered
Meanwhile, another former AAP leader Kumar Vishwas too lashed out at the AAP leadership, which included Manish (Sisodia), who he said had turned 'arrogant'.
"Other parties must not display arrogance and learn from AAP's mistakes," he said. Further, he added that he had no sympathy for a man (Kejriwal) who crushed the dreams of AAP party workers.
“Delhi is now free from him... He used those dreams for his personal ambitions. God has punished him. Today, justice has been delivered," he wrote in a post.
