The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) started in 2012 after a big anti-corruption movement in India. This was a big change in Indian politics because it was different from other political parties. People saw AAP and its leader, Arvind Kejriwal, as honest and trustworthy. Even when the powerful Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seemed to be winning everywhere, AAP remained important because it was seen as clean and straightforward.
However, troubles started two years ago when allegations of corruption came out related to a new liquor policy. Many AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia and Satyender Jain, were accused of corruption and sent to jail. In the spring of 2024, Kejriwal was also arrested right before the general elections, and many AAP leaders were behind bars. Some courts refused to give them bail, with some judges saying the charges looked serious.
Opposition parties claimed the accusations were made up to weaken AAP. Yet, each day brought news of more allegations, keeping the negative spotlight on AAP.
Last autumn, it seemed like things were getting better as many leaders got out of jail, including Kejriwal. They felt celebratory and used their release as proof that the central government was picking on them. However, the BJP then accused Kejriwal of spending a lot of public money on fancy renovations for his house, coining the term “Sheesh Mahal” (palace of mirrors).
The BJP’s accusations hurt AAP’s image as a party that stood for the common man. AAP tried to defend itself but struggled as allegations kept building. A last-minute issue about reports on the government’s spending made AAP look like just another typical political party.
Since 2022, these corruption claims have hurt AAP’s reputation and weakened Kejriwal’s image as an honest leader. Now, for the first time, AAP found itself fighting hard against the big political forces, just like everyone else. On February 8, this struggle ended badly for them.
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