Arvind Kejriwal's shocking defeat in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections is not just a setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) but also a turning point for the INDIA bloc, with Rahul Gandhi now poised to reclaim his leadership role within the opposition coalition.
Kejriwal’s loss comes despite being publicly backed by several top INDIA bloc leaders, including Mamata Banerjee, Akhilesh Yadav, and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, a move that sidelined Congress and its campaign in Delhi.
With the BJP leading in 47 of the 70 Assembly seats, the decade-long dominance of AAP appears to be crumbling. Kejriwal himself lost his New Delhi seat to BJP’s Parvesh Verma by nearly 3,000 votes, marking a dramatic fall for a leader who had held the constituency since 2013.
The Congress, although failing to secure any leads in Delhi, may still emerge as the bigger beneficiary. Kejriwal’s defeat has opened the door for Rahul Gandhi to assert himself as the natural leader of the INDIA bloc.
The internal power struggle within the INDIA bloc has been simmering for months. Leaders like Mamata Banerjee and Akhilesh Yadav threw their weight behind Kejriwal in the Delhi polls, signaling a potential shift in the bloc’s leadership away from Congress. TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee even suggested that Mamata Banerjee should lead the alliance, citing her grassroots appeal and proven ability to challenge the BJP.
"The Congress and other opposition parties should admit their failures and prioritise unity over individual ambition. They must set aside their ego and accept Mamata Banerjee as the leader of the INDIA bloc," Banerjee said. He highlighted Congress’s recent losses in Maharashtra and Haryana as evidence that the party should reconsider its leadership role.
However, with Kejriwal’s defeat, the narrative could shift in Rahul Gandhi’s favor. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has already voiced concerns about Congress’s leadership within the alliance, urging the party to focus on delivering results and earning its position rather than assuming it by default.
The recent defeats of AAP and the decline of regional power centers within the INDIA bloc may help Congress consolidate its position as the lead opposition party. Leaders like Sharad Pawar and Lalu Prasad Yadav, who previously hinted at supporting Mamata Banerjee for the alliance’s leadership, may now be more open to Rahul Gandhi taking the helm.
Kejriwal’s fall could also weaken AAP’s influence in Punjab, Gujarat, and beyond, further strengthening Congress’s prospects in key states. Kejriwal’s loss may end up being the moment Rahul Gandhi needed to reclaim his role as the central figure in the opposition’s fight against the BJP.