Rahul Gandhi Calls Kejriwal “Liquor Scam”

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s attack on Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday, calling him the “architect of the liquor scam” and invoking the ‘sheeshmahal’ jab used by the BJP, highlighted the growing rift between Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party. Despite being part of the opposition INDIA bloc, the two parties are increasingly at odds.

In response, Kejriwal accused Gandhi of echoing BJP rhetoric, implying a possible collusion between the two. Gandhi made these comments during a rally in Delhi’s Patparganj ahead of the upcoming election, which could either boost or damage Kejriwal’s political standing. He targeted both Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who had been arrested on corruption charges.

Rahul Gandhi Targets Kejriwal Over Liquor Scam and ‘Sheeshmahal’ Allegations

Both Kejriwal and former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia received bail from the Supreme Court late last year.

Rahul Gandhi criticized Kejriwal, recalling his early days in politics when Kejriwal promised a new kind of politics. Gandhi highlighted Kejriwal’s claim to transform Delhi but accused him of abandoning the city during its time of need, particularly during the 2020 riots. Rahul Gandhi pointed out the contradiction between Kejriwal’s pledge for ‘clean politics’ and the alleged liquor scam in Delhi.

Gandhi also referenced the BJP’s claim that AAP spent Rs 45 crore to renovate Kejriwal’s CM bungalow and compared it to his own decision to vacate his MP bungalow after suspension.

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Delhi Election 2025: AAP and Congress Clash

The AAP and Congress had expected to contest the Delhi election together, despite disagreements over failed seat-share talks for the Haryana election and Congress’s major defeat. Rahul Gandhi, in fact, was one of the senior-most Congress leaders pushing for the continuation of the alliance.

However, distrust and unease between the two parties have long existed, dating back to a failed alliance after the 2013 election. The parties joined forces to keep the BJP out of power but split after two years, which led to a mid-term election that AAP dominated.

In the end, the failure of talks in Haryana and disputes over seat-sharing for the Delhi federal election (which BJP won) took its toll. Both Mr. Kejriwal and Congress decided to contest separately.

Since then, the attacks on each other have been intense. For example, Congress has criticized Mr. Kejriwal over his claims that the BJP added “poison” to the Yamuna water supplied by the Haryana government, which is ruled by the BJP.

Delhi’s 70 Assembly seats will vote in a single phase on February 5, with results expected three days later. In the last two polls, AAP dominated, winning 67 and 62 seats.

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