The Great Betrayal: How Arvind Kejriwal Fooled Delhi, Silenced Dissent, and Amassed Power

Few politicians in modern India have experienced such a meteoric rise and catastrophic fall as Arvind Kejriwal. From a fiery activist demanding accountability to a political overlord wielding power with absolute control, his transformation is a case study in deception, betrayal, and unrestrained ambition.

For over a decade, Kejriwal positioned himself as the ultimate outsider—a reformer who promised to cleanse politics of corruption. But behind the carefully constructed image of an aam aadmi (common man), he built a personal empire, expelled dissenters, exploited public trust, and engaged in the very corruption he once vowed to eradicate. Today, as his political house of cards collapses under the weight of his own wrongdoing, it is time to document the full extent of his deception—not just for Delhi, but for an entire nation that once believed in him.

The Art of Deception: How Kejriwal Built His Political Empire

In 2011, Arvind Kejriwal became a household name as the fiery lieutenant of Anna Hazare’s India Against Corruption movement. The movement’s demand for a Jan Lokpal Bill—a powerful anti-corruption watchdog—resonated deeply with the Indian public, exhausted by decades of political malpractice.

Kejriwal was seen as the incorruptible activist, a man who had sacrificed his career as an IRS officer for a greater cause. When he decided to convert activism into politics by forming the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2012, many saw it as a bold, necessary step to institutionalize the fight against corruption. But what was disguised as an effort to change politics was, in reality, the first move in a long game of personal ambition.

The betrayal began early. Kejriwal used and discarded people at will, including the very activists who helped him rise to power.

The Systematic Purge of Allies

Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, two of AAP’s most respected intellectuals, were expelled when they questioned Kejriwal’s increasingly dictatorial style. Kumar Vishwas, one of his closest friends, later accused him of selling out the party’s original ideals. Even Anna Hazare, his own mentor, distanced himself, calling Kejriwal a "power-hungry politician" who betrayed the anti-corruption movement.

The message was clear: AAP was never meant to be a democratic party. It was a one-man show, and dissent—even from its founders—was unwelcome.

Betraying Delhi: Power at Any Cost

After coming to power as Delhi’s Chief Minister in 2013 (and again in 2015 and 2020), Kejriwal governed with a blend of populism, control, and outright deceit.

While he made grand promises of clean governance, his actual rule was defined by unsustainable policies, financial mismanagement, and an increasing disregard for transparency.

A Freebie Economy That Bled Delhi Dry

Kejriwal’s governance model was not about reform but about electoral manipulation through subsidies. Free electricity, water, and bus rides won him votes, but these policies pushed Delhi into financial distress, weakened long-term infrastructure investment, and created a culture of entitlement rather than real development or employment opportunities.

These were not reforms but bribes—state-sponsored vote-buying schemes disguised as social welfare.

The Delhi Liquor Policy Scam: The Beginning of the End

While Kejriwal presented himself as a corruption-free leader, the Delhi Liquor Policy Scam exposed the ugly reality of his administration.

The policy allegedly favoured select private players, leading to massive revenue losses for the state. The Enforcement Directorate uncovered evidence of financial kickbacks and money laundering, linking top AAP leaders to the scandal. Kejriwal became the first sitting Chief Minister to be arrested in India’s history in 2024.

The man who once swore he would "never take a single corrupt rupee" found himself at the centre of a multimillion-dollar corruption investigation.

The Collapse of AAP: Delhi Finally Woke Up

For years, Kejriwal used theatrics, victimhood, and political manipulation to stay relevant. But by 2025, the tide had turned.

Delhi’s citizens, once perceived as politically astute, realized they had been fooled. AAP suffered a brutal defeat in the 2025 elections, winning only 22 out of 70 seats. Former AAP leaders publicly called out Kejriwal’s authoritarianism, exposing the internal decay of the party.

The dream of AAP—a new-age political movement meant to be different—was over. What remained was a hollowed-out party, built on deceit, with no ideology beyond Kejriwal’s personal ambitions.

The Ultimate Betrayal: Using His Own Children and Supporters as Political Pawns

If there was one act of betrayal that encapsulated Kejriwal’s hypocrisy, it was his shameless use of his own family for political gain.

He frequently swore on his children that he would never ally with corrupt politicians—only to later align with them for power. He vowed in the name of honesty, only to be caught in one of the biggest corruption scandals in India.

But perhaps the greatest betrayal was against the thousands of professionals, students, and activists who left their careers and homes to build AAP as a new political force.

These were not politicians—they were idealists, people who truly believed they were working to change India. And yet, Kejriwal used them, manipulated their passion, and abandoned them once they had served his purpose.

A Legacy of Lies: How History Will Remember Kejriwal

Arvind Kejriwal will not be remembered as a reformer.

He will be remembered as a man who weaponized anti-corruption sentiment for personal power. He will be remembered as a ruthless politician who destroyed the very movement that created him. He will be remembered as India’s biggest political conman—a leader who fooled not just Delhi, but an entire nation.

For a man who promised to fight corruption, deliver clean governance, and change the system, Kejriwal’s name will go down in history as a symbol of deception, corruption, and betrayal of public trust.

And in the end, he became exactly what he once opposed—just another politician, but perhaps the most dishonest one of them all.