Former AAP leader Prashant Bhushan explains why Arvind Kejriwal lost the Delhi Election 2025, calling it a downfall for alternative politics.
Table of Contents
AAP’s Downfall in Delhi Elections 2025: What Went Wrong?
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), once hailed as a revolutionary force in Indian politics, suffered a major electoral setback in the Delhi Assembly Election 2025. After ruling the capital for a decade, Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP could only secure 22 out of 70 seats, a sharp decline from its dominant 62-seat victory in 2020.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had been out of power in Delhi for 27 years, made a stunning comeback, winning 48 seats and forming the government. This defeat has led to strong criticism from Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, two former AAP leaders who had been expelled from the party in 2015.
Is this the beginning of the end for AAP, as Prashant Bhushan claims? Let’s analyze the key factors behind this political downfall.
Prashant Bhushan’s Blistering Attack on Arvind Kejriwal
1. AAP’s Shift Away From Alternative Politics
Prashant Bhushan, a former member of AAP’s core team, stated that Kejriwal abandoned the party’s original vision of transparency, accountability, and clean politics.
“AAP was formed to bring alternative politics. It was meant to be a transparent and democratic party, but Arvind Kejriwal turned it into a supremo-dominated, opaque, and corrupt organization,” Bhushan said.
The party, which had started as a symbol of anti-corruption activism, gradually distanced itself from its founding principles, he added.
2. Lavish Lifestyle and Controversial Decisions
Bhushan criticized Kejriwal for embracing luxury, stating:
“He built a ₹45 crore ‘Sheesh Mahal’ (glass palace) for himself and started traveling in luxury cars, which was against AAP’s founding ideology.”
This reference was aimed at Kejriwal’s official residence renovation controversy, which drew sharp public criticism.
Additionally, Bhushan pointed out that Kejriwal ignored 33 detailed policy reports prepared by expert committees, opting instead for short-term populist measures.
3. Over-Reliance on Bluster and Propaganda
Bhushan accused Kejriwal of believing that elections could be won solely through aggressive speeches and propaganda, rather than genuine political work.
“Kejriwal believed politics could be done through bluster and propaganda. But voters saw through it, leading to AAP’s humiliating defeat,” he remarked.
AAP’s media-centric approach, once effective, failed to counter BJP’s well-organized electoral machinery this time.
Yogendra Yadav: ‘A Setback for Alternative Politics in India’
Swaraj India party co-founder Yogendra Yadav, another ousted AAP leader, called the election results a major disappointment for those who once saw AAP as a new political force.
“AAP’s defeat is not just a loss for the party, but for all those who dreamt of alternative politics in India,” Yadav said.
According to him, AAP abandoned its core ideology soon after coming to power and became dependent solely on welfare schemes. While these schemes helped initially, they eventually reached a saturation point, and AAP failed to offer any fresh vision to the electorate.
From Anti-Corruption Crusader to Political Setback: Kejriwal’s Journey
Arvind Kejriwal’s rise to political prominence was marked by relentless activism and bold leadership. Here’s a brief look at his political journey:
- 2000-2010: Left his job as an Income Tax officer, became an RTI activist, and lived in Delhi slums to understand ground realities.
- 2011: Joined Anna Hazare’s India Against Corruption movement, advocating for the Jan Lokpal Bill.
- 2013: Launched AAP and became Delhi CM for 49 days, resigning after Congress blocked the Lokpal Bill.
- 2015: AAP made a historic comeback, winning 67 out of 70 seats.
- 2020: AAP retained power with 62 seats, despite strong BJP efforts.
- 2024: Kejriwal resigned again after being jailed in the Delhi excise scam, declaring that the people would give him a ‘certificate of honesty’ in the 2025 election—which never happened.
Why Did AAP Lose the 2025 Delhi Election?
The factors contributing to AAP’s defeat include:
1. BJP’s Aggressive Comeback Strategy
The BJP campaigned aggressively, leveraging issues like corruption allegations against Kejriwal and dissatisfaction with AAP’s governance.
2. Kejriwal’s Legal Troubles
Kejriwal’s arrest over corruption charges dented AAP’s credibility, making it difficult to retain voter trust.
3. Voter Fatigue with AAP
After 10 years in power, AAP’s welfare model seemed exhausted, and the party failed to offer new promises.
4. Internal Party Fractures
Long-standing internal conflicts and leadership issues weakened AAP from within, making it vulnerable.
5. Congress-AAP Split
The INDIA Bloc alliance fell apart in Delhi, with Congress contesting separately and failing to win a single seat. This division helped BJP consolidate votes.
What’s Next for AAP and Arvind Kejriwal?
With this defeat, AAP faces an existential crisis. Kejriwal’s leadership will come under severe scrutiny, and the party will need to:
✅ Rebuild its core ideology to regain public trust.
✅ Address corruption allegations and improve transparency.
✅ Strengthen its internal leadership beyond Kejriwal.
✅ Expand beyond Delhi to remain a national player.
For now, AAP’s future hangs in uncertainty, and as Prashant Bhushan warns, this might truly be “the beginning of the end” for Kejriwal’s political dominance.
Conclusion: A Turning Point in Indian Politics
The Delhi Election 2025 marks a significant shift in Indian politics. BJP’s return to power in Delhi has broken AAP’s dominance, signaling a changing political landscape.
Will AAP recover from this major loss, or is this truly the end of Kejriwal’s political era? Only time will tell.
📢 Stay tuned for more political insights, election updates, and in-depth analysis.
