FairPoint: Where is Kejriwal while Atishi Faces Delhi's Challenges?

New Delhi, March 2 (NationPress) At times, taking a step back and reflecting on circumstances can lead to effective resolutions. This seems to be the approach that AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal is currently adopting.

It has been several days since he was last spotted or heard from. Following his party's significant defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections, he has largely stayed out of the public eye. Kejriwal, who faced a loss against BJP's Parvesh Verma in the New Delhi Assembly constituency, was last seen on February 23 at AAP's legislative party gathering, where Atishi was appointed as the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly. His political activity on social media platforms, including X, has been notably sparse.

Curiously, he has not addressed or commented on the developments occurring in the Delhi Assembly, where his deputy Atishi, the former Delhi Chief Minister, appears to be fighting her battles alone. He has remained silent regarding the suspension of 21 AAP MLAs from the Delhi Assembly.

The only notable communication from Kejriwal was concerning a photo controversy that Atishi attempted to escalate. On February 24, he shared Atishi's post on X, stating in Hindi (loosely interpreted): "The new BJP government in Delhi removed Baba Saheb's photo and replaced it with Prime Minister Modi's. This is unacceptable and has hurt millions of Babasaheb’s followers...I urge the BJP: you may display the Prime Minister's photo, but let Baba Saheb's also remain."

Unfortunately for AAP, their attempt to leverage this photo issue has not garnered any substantial support. Atishi has been struggling to mobilize the streets, and aside from her 20 fellow MLAs, no additional AAP members or leaders have joined her protests.

She has also sent a letter to the Speaker, contesting the suspension of 21 MLAs and trying to make a case for AAP’s stance on Ambedkar.

She stated, "On February 25, during the Lieutenant Governor's address, ruling party MLAs shouted 'Modi-Modi,' while opposition MLAs expressed 'Jai Bheem' to honor the views of Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. It is deeply regrettable that no actions were taken against any ruling party MLAs, yet 21 opposition MLAs were suspended for three days for voicing 'Jai Bheem.'"

While Atishi strives to keep AAP's activism alive in Delhi, Kejriwal has chosen a path of silence. Though he is not completely disengaged from Atishi's efforts, the AAP leader seems to prefer a low-profile, backroom role.

Currently, in the national capital, only Atishi and Gopal Rai are managing Delhi's affairs, while many others have seemingly disappeared following the electoral losses. Most AAP leaders appear preoccupied with various other engagements.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has also not been visible in the capital or on social media. Sanjay Singh, a member of the Rajya Sabha, is engaged with the Haryana municipal elections, while Saurabh Bhardwaj is primarily active on X.

Kejriwal is reportedly occupied with maintaining his party's integrity in Punjab, where internal conflicts have surfaced. There are also indications that he is aiming to secure a position in Parliament through the Rajya Sabha as a means of bolstering his political standing following the significant defeat in Delhi.

Whether or not he succeeds in entering the Upper House, the repercussions of his past actions are beginning to surface in the Delhi Assembly.

It was anticipated that the ruling BJP would take a more aggressive stance, especially with the 14 CAG reports that the previous AAP government in Delhi had concealed to avoid scrutiny. Some of these reports were presented to the Lieutenant Governor four years ago, but the then Kejriwal administration kept them hidden. These reports are now being revealed one by one, exposing the underlying issues within AAP. It was known that conditions were not favorable under Kejriwal's leadership, but the depth of the problems is now coming to light.

According to the CAG reports, numerous aspects related to AAP's governance in Delhi appear problematic. These reports include performance audits on various issues such as the renovation costs of former CM Kejriwal's residence, liquor supply in Delhi, air pollution management, operations of the Delhi Transport Corporation, healthcare, and Mohalla Clinics, all of which reflect poorly on the management of the previous Kejriwal government.

The forthcoming days may pose challenges for Kejriwal and his party as actions related to the CAG reports are anticipated. He spent five months in jail last year due to his alleged involvement in the excise policy. Following the CAG revelations, his legal dilemmas may escalate. His political challenges could also intensify.

(Deepika Bhan can be contacted at deepika.b@ians.in)