AAP's turbulent 2024: Legal battles, leadership changes, electoral setbacks

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party endured a turbulent 2024 as it grappled with legal troubles, leadership changes, and electoral setbacks.

With the party preparing for the Delhi Assembly election in February, it is determined to rebuild public confidence in its policies and navigate a political landscape shaped by its governance record and controversies.

The most significant blow for AAP in 2024 was the arrest of its supremo and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate in March over alleged corruption linked to the excise policy case. This was the first time that a sitting chief minister was arrested.

Kejriwal spent nearly six months in Tihar Jail before being granted interim bail by the Supreme Court in May. While the court allowed him to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, it barred him from resuming official duties, a decision that affected the routine governance in the national capital.

The arrest of Kejriwal, combined with legal troubles faced by other senior leaders, significantly impacted AAP's image.

However, 2024 was also the year when all the top arrested leaders were granted bail.

Sanjay Singh, AAP's Rajya Sabha MP, secured bail in April, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who was arrested in 2023, was released in August after 17 months in jail and Satyendar Jain, another key leader, was granted bail in October.

Despite these legal reprieves, the cases damaged AAP's anti-corruption narrative, with opposition parties using the controversies to question the party's credibility.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, AAP failed to secure any of Delhi's seven seats, despite increasing its vote share from 18.2 per cent in 2019 to 24.14 per cent in 2024. Also, the party managed to win just three of the 13 Lok Sabha seats it contested in Punjab, where it is in power, dealing a blow to its aspirations.

The results underscored voter dissatisfaction and raised questions about the party's ability to counter opposition narratives effectively.

In a dramatic turn of events, Kejriwal resigned as the chief minister upon receiving regular bail in September. Addressing the public, he said, "My heart says that I should not sit on the CM's chair unless the court declares us innocent... Delhi will see elections in the next few months. Don't vote for me if you think I am not honest." Kejriwal's resignation further complicated AAP's position, as it struggled to maintain its governance model narrative amidst growing public scrutiny.

Atishi, a senior AAP leader and minister, was sworn in as Delhi's eighth chief minister in September. Symbolically, she left Kejriwal's chair vacant in the CM's office, reflecting the party's hope for his eventual return.

"I will serve as Bharat did for Lord Ram, keeping his Khadaun on the throne," Atishi remarked during her swearing-in ceremony, signalling her commitment to continuing Kejriwal's governance model.

However, internal challenges continued to mount. Allegations against Kejriwal's aide, Bibhav Kumar, of assaulting AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal inside the chief minister's residence further tarnished the party's reputation.

Additionally, prominent leaders like Kailash Gahlot and Raaj Kumar Anand parted ways with AAP, signalling internal discord and adding to the party's mounting troubles.

The Delhi government also faced administrative hurdles due to frequent clashes with Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena over policy decisions.

Issues such as the reinstatement of former bus marshals became one of the several flashpoints, highlighting governance challenges that overshadowed AAP's developmental agenda.

As the 2025 Delhi Assembly election approaches, AAP is entering a critical phase. It has decided to not forge an alliance with the Congress as was being speculated in the wake of the Lok Sabha election results.

The AAP believes that the alliance with Congress in Delhi for the general elections was a misstep, as the coalition failed to win any of the seven seats.

AAP has announced candidates for all the 70 assembly seats, with significant changes to counter anti-incumbency. Twenty sitting MLAs have been dropped, and senior leaders have been reassigned to different constituencies.

The most prominent being Sisodia who has been moved from his traditional Patparganj seat in East Delhi, which he has held since 2013, to Jangpura in South Delhi.

Despite the setbacks of 2024, the party is focused on regaining public trust and re-establishing its anti-corruption credentials while addressing voter discontent and opposition narratives.

The next few months will be pivotal in shaping AAP’s political future and its ability to reclaim its position as a trusted alternative in Delhi's political landscape.