Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal shot into national prominence in 2011 with his anti-corruption campaign. Championing a model of transparent governance, he rose from a political novice to an unprecedented success story, capturing power for two consecutive terms in the national capital. However, the narrative took an ironic turn over a decade later when Kejriwal became entangled in corruption charges related to the controversial rollout of a liquor policy. The once-common man CM, known for his bush shirt and muffler, also faced accusations of opulence, with claims of Rs 45 crore spent on renovating his official residence
Despite the euphoria following the electoral triumph in Punjab last year, 2023 brought a series of setbacks for Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). In March, his closest confidant and deputy CM Manish Sisodia was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the liquor scandal. He became the second minister, after Satyendar Jain, jailed for alleged financial malpractices.
Expectedly, Kejriwal denounced the arrests as a political vendetta orchestrated by the BJP-led Central government. He remained defiant, ignoring two summonses from the ED. His supporters have begun crafting a narrative that Kejriwal will govern from jail—not surprising amid charges of his alleged remote control over the Punjab government led by CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
The tussle with the Central government extended to the appointment and transfer of civil servants in Delhi. In May, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the AAP government, affirming its legislative power over bureaucrats, excluding the departments of public order, police and land. However, the Union government swiftly countered it by passing a law granting itself authority over appointments and transfers. Chief secretary Naresh Kumar became a focal point, painted by Kejriwal's government as a Union government stooge. In November, the CM wrote to Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena seeking Kumar's removal for allegedly enhancing an "exorbitant compensation award" for a parcel of land. But hours before Kumar was to superannuate, the Centre granted him a six-month extension—later approved by the S
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