Today in Politics: ‘Should Kejriwal resign?’ — why AAP is holding a referendum on this question

Why it is politically significant: This, in essence, marks the beginning of the AAP’s Lok Sabha election campaign in the national Capital, a major component of whose campaign is likely to focus on the BJP’s alleged targeting of the party. At the AAP’s foundation day on November 26, Kejriwal told party volunteers in 11 years no other political party in India’s history has been targeted as much as the AAP. “They (Centre) left no agency untouched, including the ED, CBI, IT, and Delhi Police. But to this day, they have found no evidence against us, not a penny has been recovered. This is the biggest certificate of our honesty.”

The AAP has made the sympathy card its calling card in the lead-in to the parliamentary elections, even discussing a likely replacement if the need arises. But, as reported earlier by Mallica Joshi and Jatin Anand, this is not the first time the party has gone into a huddle, fearing the CM’s arrest. When the CBI called Kejriwal for questioning in April, the names of senior leaders such as Gopal Rai and Sanjay Singh were discussed. According to sources in the AAP, Rai is among the names discussed this time too, along with senior leaders Ram Niwas Goel and Atishi.

But if Kejriwal is indeed arrested, how will it play out politically? “It will give a boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s projection of the Opposition as a coalition of the corrupt, with its top leaders across states under the scanner of Central agencies…,” as our Contributing Editor Neerja Chowdhury explained in one of her columns this month. “It also helps Modi hammer away at the politics of entitlement – one of the BJP’s theme songs for 2024. For the Opposition, an arrest would be another proof of the “misuse” of the ED and other agencies by the Modi government …”

But Kejriwal knows, as does the BJP, that the real battle will be one of perceptions and that perhaps explains his going big with this campaign to extract sympathy from the electorate.

Crucial Bombay HC ruling expected

The Bombay High Court is expected to pronounce its verdict in a batch of pleas filed by the Association of Indian Magazines, comedian Kunal Kamra, and others challenging the constitutionality of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2023 (IT Amendment Rules, 2023). The rules permit a fact check unit of the Union government to identify “fake or false or misleading” online content “related to the business of the Central Government” and demand its removal from the internet.

Any online content that this fact-checking body marks as “fake or misleading” will have to be taken down by the online intermediaries if they wish to retain their “safe harbour”, which is the legal immunity they enjoy against third-party content.

Mizoram demonstrations

The Mizoram NGO Coordination Committee (NGOCC), a conglomerate of civil society groups and student bodies, will stage protests across the state on Friday demanding a change in the date of counting of votes for Assembly polls.

The committee has expressed disappointment with the Election Commission for allegedly not responding to pleas urging it to reschedule the counting of votes as December 3 is a Sunday, a sacred day for Christians who form the majority of the state’s population. In Aizawl, the demonstration will be held at Treasury Square near Raj Bhavan between 11am and 1pm.

What is the expected poll outcome: Almost all exit polls have predicted a hung Assembly in Mizoram. The ruling Mizo National Front that won 27 of the 40 seats last time may not cross the halfway mark this time and neither will its main challenger Zoram People’s Movement. The Congress, which is predicted to win around half a dozen seats, could very well end up playing the kingmaker.

— With PTI inputs