Arvind Kejriwal

Arvind Kejriwal, born on August sixteenth, nineteen sixty-eight, is a prominent Indian politician and activist who has made significant contributions to the political landscape of Delhi. He is best known for his tenure as the seventh Chief Minister of Delhi, serving from two thousand thirteen to two thousand fourteen and again from two thousand fifteen to two thousand twenty-four. As the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) since two thousand twelve, Kejriwal has been a key figure in advocating for transparent governance and anti-corruption measures.

Before entering the political arena, Kejriwal had a successful career as a bureaucrat in the Indian Revenue Service and was a mechanical engineer from IIT Kharagpur. His activism gained international recognition when he was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award in two thousand six for his role in the Parivartan movement, which utilized right to information legislation to combat government corruption. That same year, he founded the Public Cause Research Foundation to further his campaign for transparent governance.

In two thousand twelve, Kejriwal launched the AAP, which quickly gained traction in the political sphere. His initial stint as Chief Minister in two thousand thirteen was short-lived, lasting only forty-nine days due to challenges in garnering support for his anti-corruption legislation. However, the AAP achieved an unprecedented majority in the two thousand fifteen Delhi Legislative Assembly elections, and Kejriwal was re-elected in two thousand twenty, marking his third consecutive term as Chief Minister.

Despite his political successes, Kejriwal faced significant challenges, including his arrest on March twenty-first, two thousand twenty-four, by the Enforcement Directorate over allegations related to a liquor scam. This marked a historic moment as he became the first sitting chief minister in India to be arrested. Following a series of legal battles, he was granted bail by the Supreme Court in September two thousand twenty-four, but he resigned as Chief Minister shortly thereafter, stating he would only return to the position with a public mandate. The AAP faced a setback in the two thousand twenty-five Delhi Legislative Assembly elections, with Kejriwal losing his seat. However, he was later granted a clean chit in the excise policy case in February two thousand twenty-six, along with twenty-two others.