New Delhi: Firebrand Indian politician Arvind Kejriwal has entered the fray after his sudden release from custody amid the contentious general elections, energizing the opposition and challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Supreme Court granted bail to Kejriwal, 55, who is also the chief minister of the National Capital Territory of Delhi, in a corruption case on May 10 and he wasted no time in joining the campaign.
“I have only one request of you; We all have to come together to save the country from dictatorship. I am fighting this dictatorship with all my might,” he told a cheering crowd soon after walking out of Delhi’s Tihar Jail, apparently referring to Modi.
Highlight
• Delhi voters have mixed reactions to his campaign.
• Analysts say that Kejriwal will generate sympathy but victory is uncertain.
Kejriwal is part of the Congress party-led Indian alliance and is one of its biggest crowd-pullers. Analysts say his campaign will energize the opposition, but they are unsure whether it will translate into a significant victory against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which is expected to return to power.
Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party is in power in the Delhi region and the northern state of Punjab, winning only 20 of the 543 seats in Parliament overall.
“He may be able to generate some sympathy votes, but will it be enough to change the outcome of the election?” said Rahul Verma, fellow at the New Delhi-based Center for Policy Research think tank.
“BJP has gained an average of 20 percentage points on each seat in Delhi, so BJP needs a substantial swing to make up for losing seats in Delhi,” Verma said.
Still, Kejriwal has the ability to embarrass BJP.
A day after his release, he said Modi, at the center of the ruling party’s campaign, will not be prime minister beyond 2025 when he turns 75, and will hand over the reins to Home (Interior) Minister Amit Shah.
“Modi made a rule in BJP that whoever turns 75 will be retired. So I ask BJP, who will be your Prime Minister?” Kejriwal said. “Modi is asking for votes not for himself but for Amit Shah…then who will fulfill Modi’s guarantee?”
The BJP tried to deny the suggestion that flag bearer Modi would retire.
anti corruption warrior
Voting began on April 19 for a seven-phase election in India in which Modi, 73, is seeking to become the second prime minister after independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru to win a third consecutive term.
Voting will be held in Delhi on 25th May and in Punjab on 1st June. The results will come on June 4.
Kejriwal is an anti-corruption warrior turned politician and has the image of a street warrior. Analysts say he presents himself as a working-class messiah through his focus on health care, schools and subsidies, and his high-profile image in the media allows him to punch above his weight. Gives.
The Enforcement Directorate, India’s financial crime-fighting agency, arrested him on March 21 in connection with corruption charges related to the capital region’s liquor policy.
Kejriwal has dismissed the corruption allegations against him as an attempt by the Modi government to destroy his party and harm the opposition. Modi and BJP have denied the allegations.
There was a mixed reaction from the voters of Delhi on his campaign.
“Granting bail to Kejriwal is like adding fuel to the fire (for the opposition),” said Irshad, 35, who works as a barber in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area and gave only his first name. “He’s a real leader.”
In the capital’s Model Town area, Surya Bali, a 33-year-old vegetable vendor, asked: “If he was not corrupt, why would they send him to jail?”
Some were not sure who they would vote for, including Madhuri Akshay Rajput, 30, who works as a tailor in another part of the city. “Whether Kejriwal has done anything wrong or not, going to jail tarnishes your image,” he said. “What does voting mean? Nothing has changed.”