Sat Feb 15 19:33:00 UTC 2025: ## AAP’s Rise and Fall in Delhi: From Anti-Corruption Crusader to Mainstream Party?

**NEW DELHI, February 16, 2025** – Eleven years after launching a nationwide anti-corruption movement that catapulted it to power, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has suffered a significant setback in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections. The party, once synonymous with its founder Arvind Kejriwal’s fight against corruption, secured only 22 out of 70 seats, its worst performance since its inception. This marks a dramatic fall from the 67 seats it won in 2015 and 62 in 2020. Chief Minister Kejriwal also lost his own seat.

The AAP’s journey, chronicled in a recent *The Hindu* analysis, began with the 2011 anti-corruption protests led by Anna Hazare. Kejriwal, a key figure in the movement, later formed the AAP, focusing on fighting corruption and promising good governance. The party’s rapid ascent included victories in Delhi and Punjab, and achieving national party status in 2023.

However, the article highlights a significant shift in the party’s trajectory. Accusations of corruption, including a major excise policy scam, severely damaged its image. The party’s focus also appears to have moved away from its anti-corruption roots towards welfarism and Hindu nationalism. Critics point to Kejriwal’s evolving political alliances, his opulent lifestyle shifts, and the party’s apparent downplaying of corruption allegations as evidence of a departure from its initial ideals.

The analysis suggests that the AAP’s loss in Delhi is attributable to several factors. A shift in middle-class voters towards the BJP, internal party discord, and the central government’s control over Delhi’s bureaucracy are all cited as contributing causes. The article concludes by questioning the party’s future, particularly its ability to recover from these losses and maintain its relevance beyond Kejriwal’s persona. While the AAP’s resilience has been demonstrated in the past, its future success hinges on its ability to reconcile its past promises with its present political reality.

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