BJP scared of defeat in Gujarat: Arvind Kejriwal says state AAP chief arrested

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday accused the BJP government in Gujarat of unleashing a political crackdown, alleging mass arrests and multiple FIRs against party workers, and describing the situation as a “dictatorship”.

In a post on X, Kejriwal claimed that 145 FIRs had been filed against AAP workers over the past three months and that more than 160 party members had been arrested.

The remarks came after AAP said in a separate post that its workers had gone to a police station to protest the “illegal arrest” of one of their colleagues, but police instead detained Gujarat unit chief Isudan Gadhvi. The party alleged that the BJP was “scared of the rising popularity of AAP in Gujarat”.

Echoing the party’s claims, Kejriwal said Gadhvi’s detention was part of a broader pattern of action against AAP leaders and workers in the state. “The BJP is badly rattled by the fear of defeat by the Aam Aadmi Party in Gujarat. And now it has resorted to dictatorship,” he wrote.

He also warned of a political backlash, stating that “every single person in Gujarat will take revenge” and that the BJP’s “arrogance and oppression” would be challenged by the people.

The claims have further escalated the political confrontation between AAP and the BJP in Gujarat, where the Kejriwal-led party has been attempting to expand its organisational base in recent years. There was no immediate response from the BJP or Gujarat Police on the allegations made by AAP leaders.

The developments come amid heightened political activity by AAP across states as it seeks to position itself as a key challenger to the BJP beyond its traditional strongholds.

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