At BJP’s Holi Milan, speculations on AAP’s future — and its own

“This year, Holi celebrations have started early; after Kejriwal’s arrest, whenever I went on the roads, people were seen celebrating… bursting firecrackers and distributing sweets… Today, the people of Delhi have many reasons to celebrate… with the elections nearing, they cannot wait to vote for BJP again,” he added.

“The ED decided to arrest him after he was found to be involved in a scam… he refused the court summons because he was scared of being found guilty,” Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said.

According to leaders, the BJP’s critique will extend beyond and also encompass broader governance issues within AAP including a vacuum in leadership.

Praveen Shankar Kapoor, senior leader and spokesperson, said: “There is a big loss in clan-oriented politics when a party does not have a second line of leadership; they are rendered pathless in times of crisis… an aimless and pathless party can’t be fit for governance.”

Kapoor also claimed the AAP was a party in disarray, incapable of effective leadership beyond Kejriwal: “After Manish Sisodia’s arrest, Kejriwal was there to manage the crisis, he was there to appoint Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj. But in a party that used to work under his dictatorship, who will do that now?”

The BJP’s campaign strategy also targets AAP’s handling of Kejriwal’s arrest, with many party sources claiming its initial “enthusiasm” to get him out on bail may wane over time.

On the speculations around potential successors to Kejriwal, including his wife Sunita, sources said, “There will be no alternative but to make Sunita ji the CM… In case, she is appointed to fill his shoes, it will be a question of ‘Parivaarvaad’… how will it project on a party that has been speaking against Parivaarvaad all this time?”

Furthermore, the BJP might leverage Kejriwal’s arrest to exacerbate tensions within the INDIA bloc, which, according to BJP leaders, has already shown signs of strain. Furthermore, the BJP might leverage Kejriwal’s arrest to exacerbate tensions within the INDIA bloc, which, according to BJP leaders, has already shown signs of strain. “The assembly elections are approaching soon after the general elections… top of the alliance getting involved in Kejriwal’s arrest is bringing insecurity in the heart of the MLAs,” sources claimed.