Kejriwal arrest before election
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The arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal arrest by the Enforcement Directorate just before the Lok Sabha polls will undoubtedly alter the electoral maths because several opposition politicians are publicly endorsing Kejriwal. Although the AAP is running alone in Punjab, it is a member of the opposition INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) group and shares seats with the Congress in Delhi and a few other states. It is attempting to fortify itself in Haryana and has some presence in a few states, like Goa and Gujarat, where it has conducted in-person campaigns in past elections. In states where the AAP is present, Kejriwal’s detention will affect the INDIA bloc’s chances in the polls.
The majority of the opposition parties in India got off to a strong start last year, believing that a coalition of opposition parties would be the most effective means of countering the BJP-led NDA in power. However, when the Lok Sabha elections approached and parties started debating seat-sharing arrangements, it began to show signs of weakness. Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal and leader of the TMC, has decided that her party will run a solitary candidature.
Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar and leader of the JDU, who had inspired various opposition parties to form an alliance, departed from the INDIA bloc and allied himself with the BJP, as did Jayant Chowdhury’s RLD in Uttar Pradesh. The Left Front and Congress are at odds in Kerala, and they haven’t reached a consensus in West Bengal either. In Punjab, the Congress and the AAP continue to be the main rivals in the lack of a seat-sharing agreement, despite being able to share seats in Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Chandigarh, and Goa. The INDIA bloc is best characterised as a very fractured partnership.
However, in an uncommon display of solidarity, a number of opposition figures, particularly those affiliated with the Congress, have now endorsed Kejriwal. Rahul Gandhi, the head of the Congress, has publicly supported Arvind Kejriwal and is planning to visit with his family today to express his gratitude. Leader of the AAP and minister for Delhi Saurabh Bharadwaj has expressed gratitude to Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, MK Stalin, and Akhilesh Yadav for “the love they have shown for Kejriwal ji” among other opposition figures.
It appears that the opposition parties have made the decision to put aside their disagreements and rally around Kejriwal. Will the INDIA bloc benefit or suffer from this display of unity?
