What Sisodia’s arrest means for AAP, Kejriwal and Delhi govt

It also comes weeks ahead of the Delhi Government’s Budget Session, expected to be held in the first half of March, which Sisodia has presented ever since the AAP first formed the government in 2014.

Chief Minister Kejriwal’s trusted lieutenant – before they formed the government, the two worked together in NGO Parivartan, raising issues such as availability of ration, electricity bills, and the Right to Information – handles portfolios such as education, finance, vigilance and labour, and was handed over charge of key departments such as health, public works department and home after Jain’s arrest.

But it’s the education portfolio in particular that Sisodia has come to be known for. Kejriwal and his party have often called him “India’s best education minister”, and the promise of better government schools is a significant part of the AAP’s electoral success in the national capital. It’s also a promise the party takes with it whenever it contests assembly polls in other states – the ‘Delhi model’ is, by and large, Sisodia’s education model.

In case Sisodia remains behind bars for long, the party will have the tall task of distributing his work. And while it has several prominent leaders at its disposal, none is as recognisable among the public or as trusted by Kejriwal. Asked at an Idea Exchange event at The Indian Express office about his relationship with Kejriwal, Sisodia had said in December 2021: “We’ve been friends before the formation of the party. As a party member and minister, I feel proud that I enjoy his confidence. If your boss trusts you, you enjoy the work… We were together when we were activists. Today, I have respect for him as a CM. But we still eat together and our families spend time with each other.”

Sisodia’s arrest also comes at a politically crucial time, as Kejriwal plans a fresh foray into national politics. Having already formed the government in Punjab and taken on the BJP in Gujarat, the CM now plans to go on tour next month to expand AAP’s electoral prospects across four states — Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. As one party leader put it: “Sisodia’s arrest affects not just governance but also morale. Jain has been in jail for eight months now and even though work hasn’t stopped, his absence has been felt.”

While party leaders have called the allegations false and fabricated, senior leaders concede that the timing of the arrest – coming when the party hopes to contest upcoming Assembly elections – is a cause for worry.

The BJP understands this, with one leader summing up Sisodia’s importance: “Kejriwal is the public face, while Sisodia is the government’s administrative face. He used to conduct surprise raids in offices and departments and call for action against officers. These images and clips helped build the image of the party. Unfortunately, we have no such face in Delhi. We did not get someone like him no matter where we looked.”

Another BJP leader said: “The recent developments allow us to question the very anti-corruption credentials which the AAP used to come to power.”