From charging AAP with graft to backing Kejriwal: How Cong leaders changed tack

on Friday, senior leaders of the Delhi Congress stood in harmony with its AAP counterparts protesting Kejriwal’s arrest

When the controversy around the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22 first reared its head three years ago, it was the city Congress that was leading the charge, organising a series of protests and demanding a probe.

Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely speaks to the media at outside Kejriwal residence on Thursday. (PTI)

But on Friday, after CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the excise policy, the same Congress leaders appeared to change tack, extending support to the AAP, which is now a part of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc.

In the aftermath of the controversies surrounding the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22, the Delhi Congress plunged into a series of protests beginning in December 2021 opposing the policy. The Delhi Congress also demanded a probe into the policy while asking for CM Kejriwal’s resignation. In June 2022, the then Delhi Congress president Chaudhary Anil Kumar filed a complaint with police over the policy. After former deputy CM Manish Sisodia was arrested in February 2023, Congress leaders protested outside the AAP office, again demanding Kejriwal’s resignation.

However, on Friday, senior leaders of the Delhi Congress stood in harmony with its AAP counterparts protesting Kejriwal’s arrest over his involvement in the framing and implementation of the policy.

After Kejriwal’s arrest, Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely and several Congress leaders arrived outside the Delhi CM’s official residence to express solidarity with the AAP leader saying that the AAP and Congress were part of the INDIA bloc and were partners.

“AAP is the partner of the INDIA and we are strongly standing with them. The timing of the arrest has led to suspicions. Even though the general elections have been announced, the accounts of Congress have been frozen... Hemant Soren (former Jharkhand CM) was arrested, and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested. It indicates that the Centre does not want to provide a level playing field to the Opposition which is not good for democracy,” said Lovely. He alleged that it was the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre that was behind the arrest as it was afraid of the INDIA bloc.

“BJP arrested Kejriwal because it was afraid since the Congress and AAP allied. We will contest the election with even more strength... people are watching how BJP is misusing the agencies. Even with three seats for Congress, we will support the AAP in the four seats. We are going to intensify our election campaign,” said Lovely.

Meanwhile, the Delhi BJP said that the people were more shocked to see Congress extending support to AAP over Kejriwal’s arrest. “It is regrettable that Congress has totally changed its stand on liquor scam for the sake of an alliance. The candidates of both the parties will lose the election,” said Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor.