AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday shared the mantra for victory with the Councillors of the party in Delhi. The AAP Convenor was addressing a meeting of the party councillors where he advised them to not be overconfident and work unitedly. On the occasion, he also commended all AAP workers for ensuring that neither of the Delhi or Punjab governments fell prey to the BJP’s tactics in his absence. The AAP Supremo further instructed all councillors to personally ensure daily sweeping and proper garbage collection in their wards.
Arvind Kejriwal began by acknowledging the resilience and determination of the party amid what he termed as “unprecedented political attacks.” Referring to the past two years as the most challenging for the party, he highlighted the unwavering support of AAP leaders and members in the face of adversity. “This kind of attack that was launched against us—something like this has never been seen in history, at least not in Indian politics. No government or party has ever been attacked to this extent.”
Reflecting on the series of actions taken against the AAP leadership, Arvind Kejriwal said, “I was jailed, Manish Sisodia was jailed, Sanjay Singh was jailed, and many others were targeted with various charges. It feels like they have gone crazy with their obsession over us. I can’t say what’s going on in their minds, but this isn’t about fighting corruption. This is not an investigation into corruption or wrongdoing; this is an onslaught. The Prime Minister has decided to destroy our party and finish Arvind Kejriwal.”
He emphasised that despite these challenges, AAP continues to stand strong with the support of the people and the guiding hand of divine justice. “I always say, PM Modi is very powerful, he has enormous wealth, but he is not God. And God does exist in this world, right? And God is with us. So in the end, victory will be God’s. The fight is between PM Modi and God. And since God is with us, the victory will be ours in the end.”
He further disclosed a plan, discussed at the highest levels, aimed at dismantling the party. “A journalist told us that Prime Minister Modi had said after arresting me, they would break our MLAs, topple the Delhi and Punjab governments, and dismantle AAP in the MCD. But none of this has happened. Our governments remain intact, and their plans failed. This is a testament to the strength of the party and the support we have from God and the people.”
“But God was listening, God was watching. So yes, they arrested me, but the Delhi government did not fall, no MLA broke away, the Punjab government did not fall, no MLA in Punjab broke away, and MCD didn’t break either. All of PM Modi’s plans to break the Aam Aadmi Party failed. This shows that God is with us. If God wasn’t with us, such a powerful man, with such detailed plans, would have succeeded. The Aam Aadmi Party would have broken apart, our government would have fallen, but that didn’t happen. His plans failed,” he said.
Arvind Kejriwal praised the party’s strength during these turbulent times, acknowledging the councillors for their steadfastness. “Only a few members defected, but the majority remained loyal to the party. I read a statement by Ramchander Ji where he mentioned seeing me in his dreams, which inspired him. It shows how deeply connected we are, even in the most trying times.”
The former Chief Minister also shared his personal experience of reading the Bhagavad Gita while in jail, which gave him peace and inspiration to continue serving the people. “The Gita teaches us to be happy with what we have today. True happiness doesn’t come from chasing power, titles, or positions. It comes from serving the people,” he said, urging the councillors to remain focused on public service.
Referring to a statement made by party leader Gopal Rai, he said, “those who got tickets are upset, those who didn’t get tickets are upset. Even after winning elections, those who won are still upset, and those who lost are obviously upset. Those who win think they should get an MLA ticket, and even the MLAs are not happy, thinking they should become ministers. And even the ministers are unhappy, and the Chief Ministers are also unhappy. The Prime Minister is the most upset because he can’t figure out how to control Kejriwal, even though Kejriwal is just a small man.”
He said, “The most important thing in life is to be happy, isn’t it? The rest doesn’t matter. Fighting for tickets, winning or losing, becoming a minister—you will not find happiness in these things. Happiness comes from being content with what you have today. That’s what the Gita teaches. Look at those who have less than you, and you will realise that God has given you a lot. When I was in jail, I used to think, ‘When will I get out?’ Then I thought of Manish Sisodia, who has been in jail for a year and a half, and my family is still doing fine. His wife is seriously ill, and they even approached him multiple times to defect, offering to release him if he left AAP. But he didn’t break.”
As the AAP gears up for upcoming elections, Arvind Kejriwal stressed the importance of staying united and working towards the common goal of serving the people. He warned against overconfidence and emphasised that every election is challenging. “Wherever you go in the country, people praise the Aam Aadmi Party. They say, ‘Yes, they improved schools in Delhi, they built Mohalla Clinics, they improved hospitals, they gave free electricity, free bus rides for women, CCTVs.’ These are our strengths. Our satisfaction doesn’t come from being Chief Ministers or Councillors; it comes from the work we have done that no one has done in 75 years. When we die, we will have peace knowing that we educated children, that we served the people.”
“So, be happy. Be content with what God has given you, and try to serve with what you have. Elections are coming, and we must work hard. Don’t take any election lightly. Every election is tough, and every seat is difficult. You all have an important role in this election because we are in MCD, and people expect cleanliness from us. Clean your areas, ensure garbage is picked up, and roads are swept. If you do that, I am confident we will win,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, senior AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy CM, Manish Sisodia, stated that we are making history. He continued, “Right now, there are thousands of MLAs and countless councillors across the country. It might seem like our role is small, just another political struggle. But in truth, we are part of a much larger story.”
The senior AAP leader added that it’s been decades since the MCD was formed, but has it ever been talked about as much as it is now, in AAP’s government. We may have just become councillors and MLAs, but the political spirit was always there. This will be written in history that under Arvind Kejriwal’s leadership, a team stood strong and fought.
“When I was in jail, a powerful person told me that they (BJP) will make me rot here. I won’t be free from jail before the Delhi elections. But I had left that to god, my soul won’t rot. I used to sleep on newspapers at Jantar Mantar; in jail, at least I had a mat and a fan. I was not scared of rotting in jail, I’m part of a larger historical event,” asserted Manish Sisodia.
AAP Delhi Convenor and Cabinet Minister, Gopal Rai, stated, “BJP thought Arvind Kejriwal was like Abhimanyu (from Mahabharat), unaware of political strategies, but they didn’t realise he’s the new Arjun of India’s transformation, who won’t stop until he wins.”
Gopal Rai highlighted Arvind Kejriwal’s grit and said even from jail, he ran the government and delivered results. He continued, “While other states face budget deficits, Delhi’s budget has doubled despite offering many free services to Delhiites. When he returned from jail, he refused to take the CM’s seat until Delhiites affirmed his honesty. A new history will be written: Arvind Kejriwal has the courage to leave the chair, the people of Delhi also have the love to bring him back as CM with a strong majority.”
While, Mayor Dr. Shelly Oberoi highlighted the challenges faced by the AAP over the last two years. After it became clear that AAP was forming the MCD government, the BJP, despite ruling the MCD for 15 years, made efforts to block AAP’s rise through delimitation, reducing seats from 272 to 250. Despite these attempts, AAP successfully formed the MCD government. The BJP also tried to influence the elections for Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Standing Committee members, prompting AAP to approach the Supreme Court, which reprimanded the LG for undermining the Constitution and democracy. She emphasised the harassment of AAP leaders, many of whom were jailed, but noted that everyone fought strongly against the BJP. She urged unity in facing the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections to continue Arvind Kejriwal’s work.
