'Arvind Kejriwal should've stepped down when...': Prashant Kishor decodes AAP's shock loss in Delhi. Former colleague says...

Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor decoded the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP's) shock loss in the recently held Delhi assembly elections 2025. Kishor said in a recent interview that the AAP's shock loss in Delhi can be attributed to the 10-year anti-incumbency factor.

In Delhi, the BJP broke its 27-year drought and made a stellar comeback by winning 48 of the total 70 seats. The AAP, which won 62 seats in the 2020 polls, was reduced to 22 seats this time around.

He added that the decision taken by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal to finally step down was not well-timed.  

"The second, and perhaps a big mistake by AAP, was Arvind Kejriwal's resignation. He should have stepped down when he was arrested in the liquor policy case. However, resigning after and appointing someone else as Chief Minister before the elections proved to be a big strategic mistake," Kishor told India Today TV. 

He also highlighted Kejriwal's inconsistency in making political decisions such as first aligning with the INDIA bloc and then exiting it as another factor for the voters' discontent. Moreover, Kejriwal's approach towards governance, especially issues faced by people living in settlements, has been lackluster. 

"The hardships endured by people, especially those living in jhuggis, highlighted flaws in the administration and significantly weakened Kejriwal's governance model," he added. The JSP chief, however, indicated that there was some silver lining for the party even in this shock loss. 

As per Kishor, Kejriwal is now free from governance duties since it will be an uphill task for his party to gain back political dominance in the national capital. He added that Arvind Kejriwal can leverage this time to strengthen the party's presence in states like Gujarat, where it performed well in the last elections. 

Meanwhile, senior lawyer and Kejriwal's former colleague Prashant Bhushan put the blame for the AAP's debacle in Delhi at Kejriwal's doorstep.

While calling it the "beginning of the end of AAP", Bhushan accused Kejriwal of transforming the party which was supposed to be transparent, accountable and democratic, into a corrupt outfit. 

The senior lawyer, who was expelled from the AAP in 2015, also raked up the 'sheeshmahal' issue, which became a huge point of contention in the elections. During the campaign, the BJP and the Congress accused Kejriwal of using public funds to renovate the CM residence. 

"He built a Rs 45 crore sheeshmahal for himself and began travelling in luxury cars. He binned 33 detailed policy reports of expert committees set up by AAP, saying that the party would adopt expedient policies when the time comes," Bhushan said.

He also said that Kejriwal relied on "bluster and propaganda" instead of genuine governance.