HT Interview:I see a renewed resolve in AAP workers: Manish Sisodia

Manish Sisodia, released after 17 months in jail, claims AAP is strong despite crises. He discusses governance, AAP's resilience, and upcoming elections.

New DelhiFormer Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who was released from jail on August 9 after spending 17 months behind bars, says that the period of crisis the party is facing has strengthen the resolved of its leaders and workers. Sisodia spoke to Alok K N Mishra about governance of the city, the role he will play in the Delhi government going forward, his time in Tihar, and the Aam Aadmi Party’s plans for the 2025 Delhi assembly elections. Edited excerpts:

Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia during his interview at his house in New Delhi on Monday. (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

The AAP has alleged that CM Arvind Kejriwal is being been treated badly in Tihar. How were you treated during the 17 months you were in jail?

The CM has medical complications like blood sugar. It is the responsibility of the jail administration to take care of the medical needs of the people lodged inside. The officials are not bad, but pressure is put on them. If the BJP has its way, it will bury each AAP leader because the AAP is their biggest threat. God is watching how the life of a person with medical complications was played with, even though that meant putting him at risk. No one should be inhumane like that for political purposes.

I was treated like a common inmate. I used to clean my small cell, my toilet. I ate the food provided in the jail irrespective of whether I liked it or not. On many occasions, I did not like the food.

The governance in Delhi has been virtually paralysed since Kejriwal was arrested in March. Something as basic and routine as proper de-silting of drains did not take place...

The BJP is trying hard to project that after CM went to jail the governance came to a halt. I want to say that despite the serious crisis (arrest of top AAP leaders) the governance has remained effective in an unparalleled way. There is no government in the country where so many works have been done despite such a serious crisis. De-silting was stalled not because CM is in jail, but because the LG has told officers that they will be suspended if they carry out de-silting work. The LG has blocked payments needed for de-silting works. The payments of the Delhi Jal Board have been blocked for the last two years even though the Delhi assembly has already passed the budget of the Delhi government. In fact, the central government has also passed the budget (because Delhi is a Union territory). The BJP is playing a dirty politics with the people of Delhi. They want to defame the CM. This is nothing but dictatorship.

Most of the plans announced in previous budget have not even been initiated. Cabinet meetings have not taken place…

The new initiatives that were taken in the budget, they will be done, and cabinet meetings will also take place…According to my understanding of governance, most of the times a minister is empowered to take decisions. Under the new act (The Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023), the permission of the LG is required over and above the ministers’ decision. Many works were approved by the LG without the CM, and many works were stopped. The LG decides which work will be allowed to be done and which will be stopped on the pretext of various excuses.

Still, the governance in Delhi has continued uninterrupted. Many new schools have been constructed. Atishi (education minister) is inaugurating new schools almost every day. All 540 mohalla clinics and schools are running every effectively. It is not a joke. The number of buses has increased to around 8,000, which includes 2,000 e-buses which never happened in the history of Delhi. By 2025, Delhi will have 10,500 buses. This will have a positive impact on air pollution.

The armed forces preparatory school established by the AAP government has produced surprising results. In the first batch, which passed out this year, eight students became sub-lieutenants, including five girls. I don’t think any other school in the country has performed so well. When I came out and saw things (governance), I was so proud. It is very commendable that despite leaders including the CM being put in jail, the government is performing so well. The people are saying that the work is going on well; the people are happy with the governance of AAP. No one told me that work has been stalled.

After you and CM Kejriwal went to jail, there appeared to be a leadership vacuum in AAP. You have come out of jail after 17 months. What changes do you see in AAP in the last 17 months?

The period of crisis has a unique characteristic. It either breaks you or leaves you with a renewed resolve. I see a renewed resolve in all AAP workers and leaders – the resolve to fight; not to bend, not to get broken. The resolve is similar to the time when the AAP was formed. The resolve is born out of the understanding that the AAP government is working hard for the people and they (BJP) are putting our leaders in jail to stop the work. The conviction to fight has got strengthened. Despite the crisis, the AAP stands united even though they many parties broke. The party workers now feel that we have survived.

When are you returning to the Arvind Kejriwal cabinet? What is the plan?

I am not in any hurry. The elections are around the corner, and I’m ready for any role. The party will take a decision. It will have the opinion of Arvind Kejriwal and other leaders. My role may be to hit the ground, stay among the people and contest the elections, or my role may be in governance. I believe the decision should not be taken in a hurry, all factors should be considered. I will do whatever role the party asks me to play.

You held a meeting with party leaders on Sunday. What feedback did you get and what discussions took place?

In the meeting, the review of the last five months of the party’s activities was done. Meetings have taken place in many assembly constituencies… The people say that a lot of work has been done. The people know that a political fight is going on. I believe that I should start a “padyatra” (march) from August 14, go among the workers and the people, and understand their issues. It is the part of the preparations for the upcoming Delhi elections.

A day after you were released, you gave a call for opposition unity against the BJP. Is that an indication that AAP will form a pre-poll alliance with Congress for Delhi assembly election?

The issue is not about alliance with Congress. Two ideologies have taken root in the country. The first is based on flouting the Constitution and its spirit, misuse of law, undermining democracy, destroying the business environment in the country. The second is based on the idea to save the Constitution and democracy. My appeal is that the entire Opposition should stand united when the Constitution is flouted anywhere in the country, and when people are harassed. The Opposition stayed united when Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren were arrested. The 2024 Lok Sabha elections made the Opposition stronger.

If the Opposition, including the new alliance partners of the BJP, unite against the dictatorship of the BJP, Arvind Kejriwal will be out of jail within 24 hours.

It should not be seen from the point of view of elections. When elections are around, the decision can be taken about fighting together. Where you are strong you can defeat (the BJP) alone, where you need alliance you can join hands to defeat the BJP.

The BJP made corruption against AAP leaders a key issue in Lok Sabha elections. Senior AAP leaders have faced corruption charges. You are definitely out of jail, but the trial will continue. How will AAP face corruption allegations in the assembly elections?

The trial will make it clear that there is nothing [against AAP leaders]. We also want the trials to start soon so that things become clear that nothing was found. They do not have any evidence. They just misused the Prevention of Money Laundering Act provisions to keep us in jail. That is their strategy; the people understand this because the people are also suffering.

After the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal, his wife Sunita Kejriwal came to the political front line and has been leading the party from the front. She has been addressing back-to-back rallies in Haryana, meeting INDIA bloc leaders. According to you, what is her political future?

Everybody is so proud of her – the way she came to the forefront in the absence of Arvind Kejriwal. She is a well-educated, experienced, well-behaved and well-read woman. I have seen her working as an officer in the government. I also saw (from inside jail) how she was putting her message and the message of Arvind Kejriwal in a very seasoned way. Every party worker is proud of her.

Since Arvind Kejriwal is in jail, will you be the CM face in Delhi?

No, not at all. I see myself as a dedicated worker of the party. If the party asks me to carry out ‘padyatra’, I will do it. If the party tomorrow asks me to work at the booth level, I will do it. I know how to play my role. I will play whatever role I will be given by the party. Whereas the position of the CM is concerned, there is no issue with it. The people of Delhi need work to be done. We are getting their work done by fighting (with the central government). AAP leaders are fighting their cases as well as for the people. Arvind Kejriwal will continue to be the CM and will be the face of the party in the upcoming elections as well.