Ousted AAP leader Prashant Bhushan explains why Arvind Kejriwal lost Delhi election: ‘Beginning of the end’

Under Arvind Kejriwal's leadership, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) faced defeat in the 2025 Delhi assembly election against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This loss has been blamed on Kejriwal's "bluster, propaganda," and "shift from the idea of providing an alternative politics" by his former colleagues.

The BJP returned to power in Delhi after 27 years, securing 48 of the 70 assembly seats, leaving AAP with 22 seats, a significant decline from its 2020 tally of 62. Congress, an ally of AAP under the INDIA bloc, contested the 2025 Delhi election independently and did not win any seats.

The votes for the Delhi assembly election were counted on Saturday, February 8.

Swaraj India party co-founder and psephologist Yogendra Yadav, an original member of AAP expelled in 2015 along with Prashant Bhushan, described the party's defeat as a setback for those who envisioned alternative politics.

Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav were removed from AAP in 2015 due to internal disagreements and differing views on the party's direction and leadership.

“Kejriwal is largely responsible for AAP’s Delhi downfall. A party meant for alternative politics, which was expected to be transparent, accountable, and democratic, was swiftly turned by Arvind into a leader-dominated, non-transparent, and corrupt party that did not pursue a Lokpal and removed its own Lokpal,” Prashant Bhushan stated.

He constructed a 45 crore ‘sheesh mahal’ for himself and began using luxury cars, Prashant Bhushan added, noting that Arvind Kejriwal “dismissed 33 detailed Policy reports from expert committees set up by AAP, stating that the party would adopt expedient policies when necessary.”

Arvind Kejriwal “believed that politics could be managed by bluster and propaganda,” Prashant Bhushan added.

This marks the beginning of the end for AAP, he said.

Swaraj India party co-founder Yogendra Yadav called AAP's defeat a significant setback not only for the AAP but also “for all those who dreamed of alternative politics in this country 10-12 years ago.”

"It is a setback for all the parties that supported AAP and for the entire opposition in the country," news agency PTI quoted Yadav, who claimed that the party “abandoned” alternative politics soon after gaining power and became limited to welfare schemes that reached their limit.

From Lokpal to losing poll: Kejriwal's journey

After resigning from his role as an income tax officer in 2000, Arvind Kejriwal became an RTI activist, living in Delhi's slums to better understand the challenges faced by its residents, a journey that continued until 2010. In 2011, he joined Maharashtra-based activist Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campaign.

Early public memories of Arvind Kejriwal include his indefinite hunger strike as part of the 'India Against Corruption' movement alongside Hazare, and his nights spent in his blue Wagon R during the harsh Delhi winters, advocating for the Jan Lokpal Bill.

These images soon evolved into Arvind Kejriwal becoming a national figure. Arvind Kejriwal emerged as a prominent leader alongside Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in West Bengal, successfully resisting the BJP's efforts to unseat the AAP government in Delhi, despite the full impact of the Modi factor and resources.

On February 14, 2014, just 49 days into his first term as Delhi's Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal resigned after his ally, Congress, opposed his key initiative, the Jan Lokpal Bill. In the 2015 elections, AAP achieved a landslide victory, winning 67 of the 70 seats, and followed it with 62 seats in 2020.

In 2024, Arvind Kejriwal resigned again, this time after being jailed over corruption charges linked to the excise scam. Arvind Kejriwal declared that the people of Delhi would grant him a certificate of honesty in the upcoming assembly election, which did not occur.

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