Is Kejriwal the next Modi? Delhi polls could shape future of Indian politics

Arvind Kejriwal, leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, appears set to win a third term as Delhi’s chief minister despite corruption allegations

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal speaks during an even in Amritsar in 2023. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:40pm, 13 Jan 2025Updated: 3:13pm, 14 Jan 2025

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling party faces a major electoral challenge next month in the national capital of New Delhi, where Arvind Kejriwal, leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), appears poised to secure a third consecutive term as chief minister despite corruption allegations, analysts say.

Kejriwal, 56, founded the AAP in 2012 on the back of an anti-corruption movement that galvanised the state’s working class. Over the past decade, he has firmly entrenched the party’s dominance in Delhi and consistently kept Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in second place.

Many view Kejriwal as a future contender for India’s prime ministership, having positioned himself as a sharp counterpoint to Modi. However, analysts suggest his real battle may be with Modi’s eventual successor, as AAP’s limited national footprint makes an immediate challenge unlikely.

India’s election regulator announced on Tuesday that Delhi’s state polls will be held on February 5. AAP is being supported by the INDIA alliance, a coalition of opposition parties formed to challenge the BJP’s dominance nationally.

Supporters cheer during a press conference by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on May 11 after the Supreme Court granted him temporary bail in a liquor policy corruption case. Photo: Reuters

The Congress party, India’s largest opposition party and another member of the alliance, will also contest the election, though it is expected to finish a distant third in the capital territory.