New Delhi: Since the AAP’s crushing defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections, party chief Arvind Kejriwal has mysteriously stayed away from public events, fueling speculation about his next political move. The last time Kejriwal was seen publicly was February 23, when he attended an AAP legislative party meeting announcing Atishi as the Leader of the Opposition in Delhi.
Rumors are swirling that Kejriwal may be eyeing a Rajya Sabha seat from Punjab, especially after AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora was nominated for the Ludhiana West bypoll. Both Congress and BJP have claimed this move is a tactical exit plan for Kejriwal from Delhi politics. However, AAP has dismissed these claims, maintaining that Kejriwal will not become Punjab CM either.
Insiders of India Today suggest that Kejriwal is fully engaged in behind-the-scenes planning, focusing on the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections and strengthening AAP’s position in the state. He has been holding regular strategy meetings with Punjab leaders and in-charge officials, trying to rebuild the party’s organisational strength after its Delhi debacle. Meanwhile, former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia has been actively visiting Punjab schools, spearheading AAP’s Delhi-model education reforms in the state. Punjab’s crackdown on drugs and corruption has also intensified, with police using bulldozers against drug lords—a strategy mirroring UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s governance style.
Even as 21 AAP MLAs were suspended during the recent Delhi Assembly session over the CAG liquor policy report, Kejriwal remained silent, raising questions about his leadership during a critical political crisis. While Bhagwant Mann remains AAP’s face in Punjab, sources of India Today suggest that Kejriwal will retain full control over the party’s organisational decisions.
