New Delhi: From the time Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) a fortnight ago in a money-laundering case related to the controversial Delhi liquor policy, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has steadfastly maintained that he won’t resign and continue to perform his duties from jail.
Even as the BJP questioned the morality of Kejriwal’s position, the Delhi High Court refused to entertain a plea seeking his removal as chief minister.
Kejriwal, lodged in Tihar Jail currently after being in ED’s custody for 10 days, is ‘safe’ as of now, as far as his chief ministership is concerned.
However, some political observers and analysts are of the opinion that AAP is keeping a Plan B ready in case Kejriwal fails to get bail in the weeks to come and his position as CM becomes untenable.
That alternative, according to experts, is to get Kejriwal’s wife Sunita in the ‘hot seat’ if necessary.
Sunita may not have any experience in politics, but she has become the most prominent face of AAP since Kejriwal’s arrest, attending every press conference/briefing featuring AAP including the Opposition INDIA bloc’s Save Democracy rally at Ramlila Maidan the other day.
On Friday, Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj underlined the importance of Sunita by saying that she is the best person to keep the party together.
During an interaction with PTI, Bharadwaj said Sunita’s presence has had a positive impact in the absence of Kejriwal.
“She is delivering the messages of Arvind Kejriwal ji. This has had a great impact on our party cadre and among our sympathisers. We want to propagate it. In the present circumstances, she is the best person to keep the party together,” Bharadwaj said.
“For years Sunita Kejriwal has been with Arvind Kejriwal, through thick and thin… She was an IRS officer… If such a person stays in the party, then she acts as a glue in the party and we see it as a blessing… Since she is a family member, she is allowed to meet the chief minister in jail, she takes Delhi’s issues to Arvind Kejriwal and his issues to us,” Bharadwaj told ANI.
Sunita’s prominence in political landscape has invited comparison with Rabri Devi, who became Bihar chief minister after Lalu Prasad Yadav was arrested in 1997 in a fodder scam.
Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri remarked recently that Sunita Kejriwal was preparing to be the next Rabri Devi.
Only time will tell whether a CM’s spouse and political novice gets elevated to the top post.
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