Prashant Bhushan Slams Arvind Kejriwal After AAP’s Delhi Debacle, Calls It ‘Beginning Of Party’s End’

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) suffered a major setback in the Delhi Assembly elections, securing only 22 seats in the 70-member House as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stormed back to power after 27 years with 48 seats. Following the defeat, former AAP leader and senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, holding him responsible for the party’s downfall and calling it the “beginning of the end” for AAP.

Bhushan Blames Kejriwal for AAP’s Decline

Bhushan, who was expelled from AAP in 2015 along with Yogendra Yadav for questioning the party’s internal functioning, accused Kejriwal of steering AAP away from its founding principles of transparency, accountability, and alternative politics.

Bhushan wrote on X, “A party formed for alternative politics, which was supposed to be transparent, accountable, and democratic, was quickly transformed by Arvind into a supremo-dominated, non-transparent, and corrupt party.”

Kejriwal is largely responsible for AAP’s Delhi debacle. A party formed for alternative politics which was supposed to be transparent, accountable & democratic was quickly transformed by Arvind into a supremo dominated, non transparent & corrupt party which didn’t pursue a Lokpal…

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— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) February 8, 2025

He alleged that Kejriwal abandoned key policy recommendations and instead relied on propaganda rather than governance. Bhushan claimed, “This is the beginning of the end of AAP.”

The ‘Sheesh Mahal’ Controversy and AAP’s Credibility Crisis

Bhushan also targeted Kejriwal over the infamous “Sheesh Mahal” controversy, a major issue during the election campaign. The controversy revolved around allegations that Kejriwal used ₹45 crore of public funds to renovate his official residence while projecting himself as a leader of the common man.

“He built a ₹45 crore Sheesh Mahal for himself and began traveling in luxury cars. He binned 33 detailed policy reports of expert committees set up by AAP, saying that the party would adopt expedient policies when the time comes,” Bhushan alleged.

The controversy became a key talking point for the BJP during the campaign, with the opposition branding Kejriwal as a leader who had lost touch with the common people.

Anna Hazare and Yogendra Yadav Also Criticize Kejriwal

Veteran social activist Anna Hazare, under whom Kejriwal first rose to prominence during the India Against Corruption movement, also took a dig at AAP’s electoral loss. When asked about the Sheesh Mahal controversy, Hazare recalled Kejriwal’s past promises.

“He used to say he would live in a small room all his life, but later I heard he built a Sheesh Mahal for himself. I’m 90 years old—I could have built a fancy house for myself too. But happiness is not found in luxury. Doing good work for society brings true happiness,” Hazare remarked.

Yogendra Yadav, a founding member of AAP who later launched Swaraj India, called the election results a major setback for the idea of alternative politics in India.

“This is a setback not just for the AAP but for all those who dreamt of alternative politics in this country 10-12 years ago. AAP abandoned its commitment to alternative politics early on and instead focused solely on welfare schemes, which have now reached their saturation point,” Yadav said.

BJP’s Resurgence and AAP’s Decline

After a decade in power, AAP’s dramatic downfall has been attributed to multiple factors, including allegations of corruption, Kejriwal’s shifting political stance, and governance issues. The BJP, which had been out of power in Delhi for 27 years, capitalized on these issues and secured a landslide victory.

Key AAP leaders, including Kejriwal himself, Manish Sisodia, and Saurabh Bhardwaj.

Accepting the verdict, Kejriwal congratulated the BJP and expressed hope that the new government would meet the expectations of the people. However, with growing discontent within the party and former allies openly criticizing his leadership, the road ahead for AAP appears increasingly uncertain.

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