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Journalism of Courage
Given his sprawling presence in both the Aam Aadmi Party and its Delhi government, the arrest of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia poses an unprecedented challenge to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his party. Not only has Sisodia been the face of Delhi government’s education policy, he is also considered the pivot of AAP’s political expansion plans.
But the immediate impact of his absence – few are guessing how long – will be on the government where he heads 18 departments, with his portfolio having, ironically, expanded after his Cabinet colleague Satyendar Jain was arrested on allegations of money laundering in May last year.
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 – Sisodia’s portfolios include key ones. From Education and Finance to Services and Vigilance, many of these departments are caught in the cross-hairs of the continuing standoff with the Lieutenant-Governor. After Jain’s arrest, Sisodia also got charge of Health, Public Works Department and Home.
The arrest 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.
It’s the Education portfolio, in particular, that Sisodia has come to be known both in Delhi and nationally. Clips of his interactions with students in which they express gratitude to him have been doing the rounds after his arrest.
Kejriwal and his party have often called him “India’s best education minister”, and the promise of better government schools is a significant plank of AAP’s brand of politics. In effect, this ‘Delhi model’ is, by and large, Sisodia’s education model cutting across identities and creating a campaign around the future of a child.
Depending on how long Sisodia remains in custody, the party will first have the tall task of distributing his work. While it has several prominent leaders, none is as recognisable among the public or as trusted by Kejriwal.
Asked at The Indian Express Idea Exchange 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 admit 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.”
Another BJP leader said: “The recent developments allow us to question the very anti-corruption credentials which the AAP used to come to power.”
