Delhi CM Kejriwal’s release set to boost AAP’selection campaign

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to hold roadshows in South and East Delhi with Bhagwant Mann, launching unified campaign to defeat BJP and INDIA bloc's victory.

Senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday said the Delhi chief minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, who was released on interim bail granted by the Supreme Court, will hold his first roadshows this election season in South and East Delhi Lok Sabha constituencies on Saturday. He will be accompanied by his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann, the leaders said.

Arvind Kejriwal addresses his supporters after his release from Tihar jail on Friday. (HT Photo)

Party leaders said that the AAP will now launch into a fully unified campaign — something that has been lacking from its poll pitches so far largely due to Kejriwal being absent from the scene — along with meetings with leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc. So far, AAP leaders have been holding separate campaigns in their areas. The party officials said Kejriwal may also join the INDIA bloc’s campaigns.

According to the functionaries, the upcoming campaign strategies will now be hammered out in a meeting with party leaders. “CM Kejriwal is expected to hit the ground running to expose the dictatorial Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is already demoralised following the trends in the last three phases of elections. Our target is to defeat the BJP and help the INDIA bloc win the Lok Sabha election and form the next government,” said an AAP leader, requesting anonymity.

Meanwhile, Kejriwal met scores of functionaries at his official residence at Flagstaff Road shortly after arriving. He also held a meeting with senior party leaders. However, the details of the discussion were not shared by the party.

Kejriwal’s interim bail came at a crucial time for the AAP ahead of May 25 and June 1, when Delhi and Punjab will go to polls, respectively. Polling in Haryana, where AAP is contesting one (Kurukshetra) of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in alliance with Congress, is also scheduled to be held on May 25.

Delhi minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said the interim bail would not only “damage” the BJP in Delhi but also in other states. “People in the country were waiting for Kejriwal’s release... this will prove to be a game-changer for the entire INDIA bloc.

The first mistake the BJP made was to arrest Kejriwal, and this negatively affected them in the elections... the BJP knows that after he comes out of jail the BJP will suffer big loss, including in states where the AAP is not even contesting the elections,” said Bharadwaj.

Meanwhile, others said the development will now make the Lok Sabha battle more interesting. “Kejriwal has been released we can wait and see how the elections will become more interesting. Kejriwal is the strongest voice of the Opposition and he will leave the BJP sleepless,” said Sanjay Kumar, a party worker at the AAP office.

AAP leader Gopal Rai on Wednesday announced AAP will launch the fourth phase of campaigning from May 13 under which a series of dialogues with women, traders, and the rural population will be held. The meetings are part of the AAP’s campaign-themed “Jail ka jawab vote se”. The election schedule gives Kejriwal nearly two weeks to intensify AAP’s campaign in Delhi and Haryana, and nearly three weeks to campaign in Punjab.