Clean chit to Kejriwal a timely boost for AAP in Punjab

The clean chit to former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal from a Delhi court in the Delhi excise policy case not only helps the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) redeem its core anti-corruption image with a major boost to its assault ahead of the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections but also provides a new stimulus to the Opposition INDIA bloc.

The verdict, which also covers senior leader Manish Sisodia and others, counters the BJP narrative that had contributed to AAP’s defeat in the Delhi assembly elections last year.

Advertisement

The special court in Delhi, on Friday, discharged all the accused in the Delhi liquor policy case, including Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia — a development the AAP described as a “victory of truth”. Party leaders claimed that the verdict “exposed the conspiracy hatched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to weaken the AAP.”

Shifting momentum from defence to offence, Kejriwal’s emotional outburst — “Kejriwal imandaar hai aur Manish Sisodia imandaar hai” — is now expected to form the basis of his future election campaigns. It may also give the AAP greater heft within the Opposition INDIA bloc amid tensions with the Congress.

Observers describe the ruling as a major boost to AAP’s Punjab strategy. The party has already shifted significant resources to Punjab — now a key stronghold after losing Delhi. With Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann calling the verdict a vindication in a “baseless political case”, the development is expected to reinforce the party’s campaign centered on clean governance and the “Kejriwal Model” to counter Congress in the state.

Coming as it does ahead of assembly elections in five states — including three Opposition-ruled — the timing of the verdict is seen as politically significant. As Kejriwal focuses on rebuilding the party’s organisation, he is also expected to campaign in Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Kerala, Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry, the state heading to polls. The court ruling may also enhance AAP’s credibility for expansion in Gujarat and Goa, while strengthening its position in INDIA bloc negotiations. “In Punjab, the verdict may help consolidate support. Overall, it shifts momentum from defence to offence, though AAP must still address local governance issues in the state. The exoneration reinstates AAP’s core identity rooted in anti-corruption activism, potentially strengthening its organisation in Delhi and prospects elsewhere,” observers said.

The BJP, meanwhile, is facing Opposition backlash, with parties amplifying allegations of a “political conspiracy and witch hunt”, claiming misuse of Central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). TMC leader Mahua Moitra called the ruling a victory of truth over alleged BJP misuse of agencies. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin also launched a sharp attack against the the BJP-led Centre, accusing it of “mortgaging the integrity” of investigative agencies such as the CBI and the ED to carry out what he termed “political hunting” against opposition leaders.