Dynastic control? Need of the hour? What is Arvind Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal’s role in AAP?

It was December 2019 at the CM’s residence in Delhi, during an intimate gathering of journalists, the AAP cabinet ministers and leaders, that I first observed [Arvind Kejriwal’s wife] Sunita Kejriwal’s quiet yet striking presence. Draped in a simple blue sari, paired with a black sweater and grey shawl, she radiated warmth as she ensured everyone was well-served with tea and snacks. Despite the flurry of questions from journalists, she deftly dodged them, responding with humour and grace. When asked if she would ever join politics, she quipped in Hindi, “Then who will take care of the house?”

Fast forward to February 2024, the scene at the same residence was starkly different. According to sources, Kejriwal convened a high-stakes meeting with top AAP leaders. As the ED intensified its investigation and Kejriwal anticipated his imminent arrest, the party faced a looming crisis. To counter the turbulence, Kejriwal laid out a comprehensive plan.

Cabinet ministers would manage governance – Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj were tasked with alliance-building and Congress negotiations, while veterans like Gopal Rai and Sandeep Pathak would strategise campaigns and coordinate with state units. But the most intriguing decision was Kejriwal’s suggestion for Sunita to take a more public role, emerging as his messenger to rally the party workers and connect with the grassroots.

An IRS officer since 1993, Sunita had taken voluntary retirement in 2016, a decade after Kejriwal left government service. Known for her administrative acumen, she had refrained from formally joining the AAP, adhering to the party’s rule against family members of leaders holding membership.

On 21 March 2024, Kejriwal was arrested by the ED in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam. While the leadership grappled with panic, Sunita’s role became pivotal. Her emergence as a political force underscored the party’s resilience, demonstrating her ability to navigate crises and inspire solidarity in turbulent times.

His arrest in the liquor policy scam sent shockwaves through the nation. As the investigation unfolded, a new narrative began to form. Suddenly, the AAP’s political machinery converged upon one entity – Kejriwal and, by extension, his family.

Instead of rallying behind the numerous senior leaders within its ranks, the AAP made an unexpected choice: they launched Sunita as the face of their campaign during the general elections and the Haryana elections.

The decision to bring Sunita to the forefront was both surprising and revealing. The question was not one of capability – she may well have the potential to be an effective leader – but of sheer symbolism. In a party that had, until then, prided itself on being a platform for the common citizen, why had the leadership mantle been placed on someone who had never campaigned for it before? Sunita was suddenly thrust into the spotlight, representing not only her husband but the entire party.

When Kejriwal was arrested, there was a crisis of leadership because Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and former Health Minister Satyendar Jain were all in jail. But there were others who could have become frontline leaders, but that did not happen.

One cannot help but draw comparisons between the AAP and other family-centric political parties in India. The Samajwadi Party, the DMK and, of course, the Congress have long been criticised for their reliance on political dynasties. The AAP sought to break away from this tradition initially, offering a new kind of politics that was supposed to be free from nepotism and political inheritance. Yet in 2024, it too seemed to go the dynastic way, made starker by the fact that Sunita was not even a member of the party’s top decision-making body.

Here it is important to look into two cases.

In the annals of Indian politics, the appointment of Rabri Devi as the CM of Bihar in 1997 stands out as a dramatic and unexpected turn of events. This decision was necessitated by the legal troubles of her husband, Lalu Prasad Yadav, the chief of Rashtriya Janata Dal, who was embroiled in the infamous fodder scam. The scam, which involved the embezzlement of approximately `950 crore from the Bihar state treasury under the guise of purchasing fodder for livestock, had far-reaching political ramifications.

On 25 July 1997, an arrest warrant was issued against Lalu Prasad Yadav, compelling him to step down as the CM of Bihar. In a strategic move to retain control over the state’s political machinery, Lalu appointed his wife as his successor. This decision was met with widespread astonishment and scepticism, given Rabri Devi’s lack of political experience. However, it allowed Lalu to maintain his influence over the state’s governance from behind the scenes.

Rabri Devi’s tenure as CM was marked by significant challenges, including managing the state’s administration amidst ongoing legal battles and political opposition. Despite the initial doubts about her capabilities, she managed to hold the office for three terms, becoming the first and only woman to serve as the CM of Bihar.

Another important example is that of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, who was arrested by the ED for an alleged money laundering scam in 2024. Unlike Lalu, Soren did not appoint his wife, Kalpana, as the CM. Instead, he chose the senior leader of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Champai Soren, to take on the role. However, Kalpana led the election campaign of the JMM both nationally and in the state, resulting in the party winning 5 out of 14 Lok Sabha seats. In 2024, after Hemant Soren’s release, he resumed his position as CM. During the subsequent Jharkhand Assembly elections, Kalpana not only contested but also campaigned vigorously for the party, leading to the JMM forming the government once again.

Coming back to the AAP, it is now time for the party to grapple with its own identity. Is it still a party of change, driven by the common citizen, or has it become yet another player in India’s political game?

To repeat the obvious: the AAP of today is no longer the AAP of the IAC movement. It is no longer a party of ideals but one of personalities. “When we created AAP, we were clear about not letting two family members lead the party,” noted Ashutosh, “but now those principles are gone.”

A senior AAP leader, speaking under the condition of anonymity, said, “It’s easy to label Sunita Kejriwal’s involvement as dynastic politics, but that misses the context.” He said that her role was not to pursue personal ambition but to stand as a voice for her husband’s political vision as well as to highlight his alleged mistreatment. “Only she, as his wife, could convey the depth of his dreams and the unfairness of his arrest,” the leader added.

Also, with parties like the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena suffering fractures due to the BJP’s political manoeuvring, many in the AAP perhaps correctly feared a similar fate. Her presence was considered crucial to keep the party united in a time of crisis. “She was seen as the only one who could connect with both the masses and the party leadership to prevent a potential collapse,” the leader noted. A senior journalist echoed this, saying that when Kejriwal was arrested, the AAP felt vulnerable and feared that its members could be lured by the BJP. Sunita’s involvement was meant to rally the party together, deliver her husband’s messages to the public and offer a symbol of continuity. Her emergence as the face of the party during this turbulent time was no coincidence but rather a calculated decision by the AAP to ensure stability, emotional resonance and organisational coherence.

However, after Arvind Kejriwal secured interim bail and was released from jail, there was another subtle shift in the AAP’s internal strategy. It could be called “course correction” due to the BJP starting a narrative around the AAP’s seeming turn to dynastic politics. When Kejriwal decided to resign from his position as Delhi’s CM, despite speculation that Sunita might succeed him, he chose to appoint Atishi to the role. This was seen as a conscious effort to distance the AAP from the accusation of dynastic politics.

In an interview taken during 2024, Nakshbandi told me, “The 2025 Delhi election is critical for AAP, and the last thing Arvind Kejriwal wants is to fuel the BJP’s narrative of dynastic politics. He knows it would only strengthen the BJP’s position and contradict the founding principles of AAP, which appeared in opposition to political dynasties. Appointing Atishi as the chief minister over Sunita reflects this awareness.”

The impact of Sunita’s role has been mixed. The AAP did not fracture under pressure, unlike the NCP and Shiv Sena, although it remains unclear whether this was because of Sunita’s presence. It also failed to fully harness her emotional appeal, given the outcomes of both the general elections and the Haryana Assembly elections.

Another primary reason for Sunita’s elevation was the emotional appeal her leadership brought to the narrative. The party sought to project the arrest of Kejriwal as a politically motivated act by the BJP, aimed at undermining the AAP ahead of the 2024 general elections. While party leaders vocally criticised the alleged targeting, Sunita’s personal narrative as a wife fighting for justice struck a deeper chord. She emphasised not only her family’s victimhood but also framed the arrest as an affront to the people of Delhi, whose mandate had been undermined. This humanised the party’s position and widened its appeal.

Additionally, Sunita’s leadership quelled potential power struggles within the party. With Kejriwal behind bars and several senior leaders under investigation, there was a real risk of multiple power centres emerging. By positioning Sunita as Kejriwal’s emissary, the party maintained its hierarchical structure, ensuring all decisions flowed to the jailed leader through her. This move reinforced Kejriwal’s undisputed authority within the party and prevented any internal fragmentation.

Sunita also played a pivotal role in managing the AAP’s alignment with the opposition INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) bloc. As a trusted representative, she facilitated seamless communication between the bloc’s leaders and the party. Her meetings with prominent figures like Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Kalpana Soren underscored her strategic importance. Her ability to articulate the AAP’s stance and carry directives from Kejriwal ensured unity within the bloc and streamlined campaign coordination.

Critics have argued that Sunita’s rise marked the AAP’s full transition into a Kejriwal family-centric party. However, this narrative overlooks the strategic brilliance of the move. By leveraging her position, the AAP maintained internal stability, avoided significant defections (except for cabinet minister Rajkumar Anand, who later joined the BJP) and sustained its momentum during a critical election season.

In hindsight, Sunita’s leadership was not merely a stopgap measure but a testament to the AAP’s adaptability under pressure. Her role exemplified a strategic response to adversity, enabling the party to navigate one of its most challenging phases with resilience and coherence.

Excerpted with permission from The Aam Aadmi Party: The Untold Story of a Political Uprising and Its Undoing, Sayantan Ghosh, Juggernaut.