Its going to be exactly a year where he had resigned as Delhi Chief Minister, the AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal will be taking oath as the CM in the capital state again on February 14 at Ramlila Maidan.
Revisiting February 14 2014
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government ended dramatically their 49-day-old tenure, where the then Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stepped down on a Friday evening when their government’s move to introduce the Jan Lokpal Bill was defeated by the BJP and Congress in the Delhi Assembly. Flashing a copy of his resignation at his party office, Kejriwal said: “Both BJP and Congress stalled the Jan Lokpal Bill today. I’m ready to give my life for the country and we are willing to give up power 1,000 times if needed.”
There was a battle of nerves over the introduction of the anti-corruption Jan Lokpal Bill in the Delhi Assembly that brought Arvind Kejriwal and his party back on the streets.
What has changed ?
AAP said that they had to quit, as their "party principles" were at stake. But later, Kejriwal realised that his party was not just being scrutinised by the political parties and media but also by all the people of Delhi who voted for him. This was evident on the following Lok Sabha elections, where the BJP bagged a whopping 46% of total votes cast in Delhi and AAP received only 14%.
The Lok Sabha results were shocking enough for the people and AAP especially. Later, the tables started to turn after Kejriwal apologised exactly 5 days after his party was hammered by the BJP.
“I apologise to the people of Delhi and the country for resigning midway,” he told reporters.
“We had a meeting and we have decided to gear up for elections. We will go among the people, will hold various meetings in Delhi in the coming days. We will apologise to people of Delhi in meetings and gain their trust to ask them to support us with complete majority,” he said.
He also reiterated it again during the Delhi polls campaign. BJP ended up contributing to AAP's victory, especially by various controversial statements made by the saffron leaders Sakshi Maharaj and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti.
The last minute induction of Kiran Bedi as BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate was indeed seen as a master stroke. However, there was very less time for Bedi to prove her capabilities and by then AAP has already appeased the people of Delhi and gained the peoples trust.