Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Prepares To Govern from Jail As AAP Plans For Continued Leadership

With Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal set to surrender on Sunday after his interim bail plea was postponed to June 5, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is gearing up to manage Delhi's governance from Tihar Jail.

Kejriwal, who was arrested on May 21 in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, is currently out on interim bail until June 1. During a virtual press conference on Friday, he announced his plan to leave his residence at 3 PM on Sunday to surrender to Tihar Jail.

With the CM's impending return to prison, a senior AAP leader told The Indian Express that "things will not change on the ground; he will remain the CM and continue to govern from jail."

How will this work?

“When the CM was previously in jail, our national general secretary, Sandeep Pathak, managed ground operations, including role assignments, election meetings, and campaign planning. He will continue to oversee core party functions during the CM’s absence. Durgesh Pathak, who handles alliance issues in Delhi where AAP and Congress are contesting the Lok Sabha polls together, will also focus on the civic body as MCD in-charge. Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj will oversee overall government operations. Additionally, other ministers will continue to monitor their departments,” the leader explained.

“Gopal Rai, who manages AAP’s Delhi unit and is a key party leader, will plan to increase party activities in Delhi while also serving as Environment Minister,” he added. “Sanjay Singh will represent the party’s voice in the Rajya Sabha and boost worker morale.”

These leaders, along with Jasmine Shah and Kailash Gahlot, are prominent figures in the party. Atishi holds several key portfolios, including Education, Finance, Power, Water, and Revenue.

“Now that the Lok Sabha polls are over and the results will be declared in a few days, the focus will shift back to government functioning. As before, each minister will meet the CM in jail to discuss their projects, initiatives, and departmental issues. The CM will review ongoing work in each department,” the leader stated.

The link between the Chief Minister in jail and his cabinet and party will be Sunita Kejriwal. The leader clarified, “Those who think she will become CM are mistaken. Sunita is not interested in active politics, but she will play a crucial role in party leadership, frequently meeting the CM to relay his messages to ministers, the party, and the public.”

With the Delhi Assembly elections approaching next year, leaders like Rai and Singh will start preparations. MP Raghav Chadha will concentrate on his role in Punjab party activities.

The CM’s return to jail is seen as a setback for the party. “However, he has prepared both the party and the cabinet for this challenge, assigning specific roles to ensure smooth governance,” the leader said.

An AAP source mentioned that the CM issued strict instructions regarding the “Mahila Samman Rashi” scheme, a key component of AAP’s Ram Rajya-themed Budget for 2024-25. This scheme aims to provide a monthly honorarium of Rs 1,000 to eligible women. “The CM emphasized starting work on this scheme as soon as the Model Code of Conduct is lifted, aiming to implement it before the Delhi Assembly polls early next year,” another senior party leader said. The AAP government also plans to request court permission to provide facilities for the CM to hold virtual meetings from jail.

The CM mentioned in an interview with The Indian Express that they would file a plea in court to facilitate government operations from jail. AAP sources confirmed this plan.