From AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to his long-time associate Manish Sisodia, as well as riots accused Tahir Hussain and Shifa-ur-Rehman, several candidates contesting the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections have faced legal proceedings, including charges related to corruption and communal violence.
Political analysts suggest that a history of incarceration does not necessarily diminish a candidate’s electoral prospects. In certain cases, imprisonment can evoke public sympathy, though it does not always translate into votes.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested ahead of last year’s Lok Sabha elections in connection with a money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. While he secured brief bail to campaign, he was later granted interim bail in September under conditions that prohibited him from accessing the Chief Minister’s office. Two days later, he resigned from his post, stating he would only return to office when the public reaffirmed his integrity.
Following Kejriwal’s resignation, senior AAP leader Atishi was sworn in as Delhi’s third woman Chief Minister. Throughout the ongoing Assembly election campaign, Kejriwal has asserted that his arrest was orchestrated by the BJP to tarnish his reputation. “They wanted to portray me as a ‘chor’ (thief), but even my fiercest critics know I am not corrupt,” he has maintained. The BJP, however, has criticized him for framing his imprisonment as a badge of honor.
Addressing a public gathering, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma remarked, “He speaks proudly about his time in jail as if he were part of the freedom struggle. But he was jailed in connection with corruption cases—he should be ashamed.”
Abhishek Giri, a political science professor at Delhi University, reiterates that a candidate’s imprisonment does not necessarily influence election outcomes. “Public perception is shaped by a variety of factors, including party performance, governance, and voter sentiment on the ground,” he notes.
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