‘Hindu Politics’, No Attacks on Modi: Kejriwal’s Shift Ahead of Delhi Elections

An analysis of the Aam Aadmi Party’s position after the 2019 Lok Sabha election argues that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has changed his political approach, toning down attacks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and leaning towards what it calls ‘Hindu politics’, with a crucial Delhi assembly election about six months away. It notes that the general election shook several opposition parties, but says the effects were most visible in AAP.

A heavy defeat

All seven AAP candidates in Delhi lost, several of them forfeiting their deposits. In the New Delhi seat, which includes Kejriwal’s assembly constituency, AAP came third, and in East Delhi Atishi Marlena Singh also finished third, behind the Congress’s Arvinder Singh Lovely. According to the analysis, AAP’s vote share fell from 33 per cent in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls to 18 per cent in 2019, after it had won 67 of 70 seats with 54 per cent of the vote in 2015. The BJP polled 57 per cent, 10 points higher than in 2014. The piece says the party lost ground among Muslims, Dalits and the middle class, while Kejriwal publicly described the contest as one to choose a Prime Minister.

Signs of a changed approach

Since the results, the Delhi government has announced free rides for women on DTC buses and the Delhi Metro on June 3, a 50 per cent subsidy for consumption of up to 400 units along with free power for up to 200 units, along with CCTV cameras and planned free WiFi. AAP openly backed the Centre’s decision on Articles 370 and 35A, with Kejriwal tweeting support, though Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh later said the party did not support reducing Jammu and Kashmir to a union territory. On August 16, Kejriwal warmly thanked Modi for birthday wishes.

The analysis also points to Kejriwal sharing pictures of himself performing an abhishek of Bhagwan Swaminarayan on June 4, a low-key Eid greeting, his silence on the Pehlu Khan lynching verdict, heavily promoted pilgrimage schemes and a new ‘deshbhakti curriculum’ in schools. It notes AAP has not backed ‘One Nation, One Election’, the Triple Talaq Bill or the RTI Amendment Bill.

What commentators said

Senior journalist Neerja Choudhury described “a softening of stance” and said Kejriwal would want a larger share of Hindu votes while his government’s school reforms and mohalla clinics remained popular. Political commentator Ashis Nandy disagreed that anything fundamental had changed, saying the moves gave Kejriwal flexibility so that no one could brand him anti-Hindu or anti-Indian.

What happened next

In the 2020 Delhi assembly election, AAP won 62 seats and the BJP 8, and Arvind Kejriwal remained Chief Minister.

See also: Aam Aadmi Party and elections.

Originally published on 20 August 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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