Arvind Kejriwal's release from jail set to give a fillip to AAP's prospects in Haryana polls

In a significant political development, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was granted bail on Friday by the Supreme Court in the now-scrapped Delhi liquor policy case. The release of the AAP supremo, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21, has come as a huge respite to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), ahead of assembly elections in Haryana and Delhi. 

Reminiscent of the observations made during the release of former deputy chief minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan observed that the continued incarceration of Kejriwal would infringe upon his right to personal liberty under Article 21 of the constitution. 

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Justice Kant barred Kejriwal from visiting the office of the chief minister and the Delhi Secretariat or signing official files. These two conditions were adopted from the July 12 order of the apex court while granting him bail in the same case being investigated by the ED. Kejriwal had filed two petitions, one challenging the denial of bail and another against the upholding of his arrest by the CBI in the case. 

Soon after the news of his release spread, the AAP workers gathered to celebrate outside the Tihar jail, from where the chief minister is expected to walk out on Friday night. 

Sunita Kejriwal, Arvind Kejriwal’s wife who campaigned in his place during the Lok Sabha elections, said that Bharatiya Janta Party's plans have “washed away”. 

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Sisodia who himself was released on bail a month ago after facing incarceration for over 17 months in the same case, welcomed the judgement and said that the Supreme Court has given an assurance that if someone is a dictator or misusing the agencies, then the Constitution of India is there to protect. 

Calling it an emotional day, Sisodia said, “Our brother, son, politician and guru Arvind Kejriwal is coming out of jail despite the BJP’s conspiracies. The unscrupulous plans and conspiracies hatched by the BJP to break the AAP will go in vain.” Sisodia also called the investigating agencies “caged parrot” referring to the top court’s remarks.

Sisodia said that the love of the people, blessings of Lord Ram and Hanuman and the shield of the constitution have protected Kejriwal and no harm can be done as long as these three things are with him. 

AAP senior leader Sanjay Singh also launched a scathing attack on the BJP and said the AAP will defeat the BJP badly in the upcoming assembly polls. “Kejriwal’s release will strengthen and boost the election campaign in Haryana and Delhi,” Singh added.

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Kejriwal's release from Tihar jail is expected to enliven the AAP’s campaign for the Haryana elections scheduled on October 1. The focus will now be on Kejriwal, who is the AAP’s lead campaigner. During his brief bail of 21 days before the general elections, Kejriwal had stirred the political landscape with his speeches by raising questions on the possibility of Narendra Modi running a third term as the Prime Minister because of the age bar put in place by the BJP.

Targeting the “dictatorial” central government was the central plank of his campaigns. However, the AAP’s strategy did not yield the expected results in the Lok Sabha elections as the party lost all 7 seats in Delhi despite being in alliance with the Congress. Mindful of the defeat, it would be interesting to see what turn Kejriwal’s speeches would take this time. 

While Kejriwal would surely begin to campaign in poll-bound Haryana where the 10-year-old party is running solo on all 90 seats after their efforts to stitch an alliance with the Congress failed, his release is particularly important for Delhi, which is also scheduled to vote in less than six months. 

The AAP has been in power in Delhi since 2015 and the national capital is the party’s stronghold and original bastion. “While the AAP’s chances in Haryana are slim, Kejriwal’s release is essential to ensure the party does not lose Delhi,” said a party leader. 

With the culmination of the AAP’s recent campaign theme - ‘Manish ji aa gaye hain, Kejriwal bhi ayenge’ - how the party takes it from here would be riveting to see in days to come.