Delhi Elections Results 2025: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal has acknowledged defeat from the New Delhi constituency in the recent Delhi assembly elections, marking a notable win for BJP’s Parvesh Verma. Following the AAP’s electoral misfortune, all eyes are now on Kejriwal, who is currently on bail in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scandal – will he find himself back in Tihar jail?
The BJP did not shy away from criticizing the former leader, even as the AAP seemed set to take on the role of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly after a decade of holding power.
BJP MP Yogendra Chandolia from North West Delhi brought up the Delhi liquor policy scandal, asserting that it is time for Kejriwal to be held responsible for his actions, as reported by One India.
Chandolia additionally recalled Kejriwal’s comments, suggesting that the assessment of his alleged involvement in the corruption scandal is best left to the citizens of Delhi.
The BJP MP stated unequivocally, “The moment has arrived for Arvind Kejriwal to atone for his wrongdoings and he will soon return to jail.”
“The people of Delhi have cast their vote on his potential return to jail,” Union Minister JP Nadda remarked later in the day, hinting that Kejriwal might soon find himself back in Tihar Jail due to the liquor scam case.
Arvind Kejriwal was taken into custody earlier in 2024 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to the scandal, remaining detained for an extended period before receiving interim bail to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.
The Supreme Court granted interim bail to Kejriwal in the money laundering case on July 12, 2024; however, he was unable to be released due to a pending CBI corruption case. Subsequently, the apex court extended his interim bail until June 1, 2024, to allow him to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. Kejriwal was finally released from Tihar Jail on September 14, 2024.
Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia also faced imprisonment in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case. He was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26, 2023, and was later charged by the ED, which handles financial crimes, in relation to the same case. Sisodia resigned as deputy chief minister of Delhi just two days following his arrest.
He spent approximately 17 months in jail before being granted bail by the Supreme Court on August 9, 2024.
The investigation by the ED into the alleged Delhi liquor policy scandal is still in progress.
It remains unclear whether legal challenges will arise again for Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia. However, the defeat of these AAP leaders in the Delhi elections signifies a pivotal shift, with the BJP likely poised to regain control of the capital after a 27-year span.
Top leaders, including both the former Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister who have held office for most of the last two terms, were defeated in the Delhi Assembly elections, albeit four ministers from the AAP government managed to achieve victories for the party.
Atishi, Gopal Rai, Mukesh Ahlawat, and Imran Hussain, who served as ministers in the Delhi government, secured wins from the constituencies of Kalkaji, Babarpur, Sultanpur Majra, and Ballimaran, respectively, amidst what appears to be a series of losses for senior party leaders.
