Kejriwal’s ten guarantees are purely of populist character and are part of one-upmanship game | Arun Srivastava

May 15, 2025

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s comment “Modi will retire in accordance with the rules made by him on attaining 75 years of age in September 2025, is not only bizarre, instead it is in contravention to the politico-electoral line of INDIA bloc. While the INDIA bloc constituents have only one mission, to defeat Narendra Modi at 2024 Lok Sabha polls and ensure his ouster from political arena, Kejriwal has been quite considerate in allowing Modi to rule till 2025.

One has to believe his words; I am determined to defeat Narendra Modi. But his remark does not sound ubiquitous. At the time when every opposition leader, irrespective whether he belongs to INDIA, has made it a point to ensure defeat of Modi, Kejriwal has been pandering about his retirement. Kejriwal pledges his support and loyalty to INDIA, obviously it is expected he will indorse its political line.

Kejriwal even exposed Modi’s plan of installing Amit Shah as the next prime minister once he turns 75. Most intriguing was Kejriwal’s remark “Narendra Modi has not said anything about retiring from politics after turning 75 years of age†. Why Kejriwal expects that Modi, who turns and twists the law of land and the state administration to suit his needs, should announce his retirement? Kejriwal has been ruling Delhi for nearly ten years. He has seen the style of Modi’s functioning; opposition leaders being sent to jail under the idea of "one leader, one nation", using ED and CBI to terrorise them and curbing the freedom of press. Naturally his expectation from Modi is alluring.

Strange enough even after witnessing Modi’s authoritarian knack and subverting the Constitution and democracy, only for the sake of grabbing the power and continue to rule India, Kejriwal is seeking to know from Modi whether he would retire in accordance with the rules made by him on attaining 75 years of age in September 2025. His observation “while many BJP leaders have come out in his support, Modi has not said anything on retiring from politics after turning 75†raises many questions. Overtly he was endorsing the observation of Amit Shah that Modi will continue to lead the country and there is "no confusion in the BJP" about it.

Kejriwal was speaking utopia when he said "It is clear from this that he will not stop the rules made by him from being implemented on himself. Whenever any big leader is talked about, those in the party speak in his favour. But if what BJP leaders say is true, then Modiji himself should say that the rule by which Advaniji retired does not apply to him. Although I do not think Modiji will do this. It is clear that he will retire. Just tell us who will be his successor?"

Little doubt Kejriwal style of politicking is creating confusion amongst the people. While Kejriwal says “Prime Minister should disclose who would succeed him’ he also says “under his (Modi’s) idea of ’one nation, one leader’, on one hand, he is sending all the opposition leaders to jail and on the other hand, he is destroying the politics of all the leaders of his party. Shivraj Singh Chouhanji, Vasundhara Rajeji, Raman Singh, Khattar sahab were eliminated from politics". Kejriwal even claimed Modi is asking for votes for Home Minister Amit Shah, who will be his successor after Modi "retires" on turning 75 in September 2025. "

There is no ambiguity that Kejriwal’s comment has created confusion in the anti-BJP, anti-Modi rank of the country. It is beyond comprehension why was he dragging the issue of Modi continuing to be the prime minister? It would not be an exaggeration to say that his remark has diverted peoples’ attention and focus of the opposition parties from the basic issues, unemployment, poverty. His observation follows the BJP line; who is the opposition candidate to replace Modi?

Astonishingly he has also raised the issue of replacement of UP chief minister; "All the leaders of his party said on Saturday that the 75-year rule will not be applicable to Modiji, but not a single leader said that Yogiji will not be removed. So one thing has been confirmed in the last 24 hours that within the next two months, Yogiji will be removed as the Uttar Pradesh chief minister". Kejriwal’s concern for Yogi gets reflected in his remark "If their government is formed, they will first dispose of Yogi Adityanath and then make Amit Shah the Prime Minister of the country. PM Modi is asking for votes for Amit Shah. Will Amit Shah fulfil Modi’s guarantee?"

Surprisingly what makes him interested in Yogi remaining in power or being pushed out. Continuation of Yogi as CM of UP is the concern of Modi and Shah. Right now, the prime task before INDIA bloc is to defeat Modi and BJP. His immediate concern and mission should have been to coordinate the move to defeat BJP and Modi in the 2024 election. Defeat of BJP would in fact imply as the defeat of Yogi and certainly the leaders of INDIA bloc would rejoice it.

In fact, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor only a day after of Kejriwal’s remark, rebutted “country need not have to wait till September 2025 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not remain at the helm after June 4, when results of Lok Sabha polls will be declared. A new government will come to power at the Centre in June. Modi has lowered the standard of public discourse and the language being used by him is not good for the country.â€

There is no denying that Kejriwal must be aware of the political developments while he was in Tihar jail. Rahul Gandhi has launched his five Nyay patra before Kejriwal was jailed. Though as the CM of Delhi he is free to chart out his own course of political action in all fairness he should have shown courtesy to discuss the current scenario with leaders of INDIA bloc. But he did not.

Within twenty-four hours of his release he announced ‘Kejriwal’s ten guarantees’ if the INDIA bloc were to form the government at the Centre. He wanted to project himself as the leader of the INDIA and the fulcrum of the alliance. “Kejriwal’s ten guarantees†is a strategic step to project him as the challenger “Modi’s guarantees†. The most astonishing was his assertion "I have not discussed this with my INDIA bloc partners. I will press upon my INDIA bloc partners to fulfil these guarantees". Why should the INDIA leaders fulfil his guarantees? Has he discussed these issues with them?

His ten point guarantees are purely of populist nature. While almost all the leaders of INDIA bloc, from north to south, have been speaking for caste census, empowerment of Dalits and EBCs and five Nyay Patra, he has promised free power across the country to poor households, committed to ensuring quality affordable education in villages, better healthcare, empowering the armed forces to “free†Indian territory under Chinese occupation, scrapping the Agniveer scheme, full statehood to Delhi. Already Rahul Gandhi on behalf of INDIA has announced scrapping of Agniveer scheme if INDIA comes to power.

Significantly keeping in view greater interest of INDIA bloc, Congress did not react to his ten guarantees which he made public as the agenda of INDIA bloc. Even other constituents Shiv Sena, DMK, TMC and JMM did not question his move and simply endorsed it. Kejriwal should have realised that by raising the issues of caste census, empowerment of Dalits, and concept of Nyay Paytra has put Modi and even RSS in a tight corner. Dalit votes in almost north Indian states are shifting away from BJP and BSP and moving towards the INDIA bloc. He should have taken cognisance of declining voting percentage.

Destroying the BJP’s “washing machine†that gives protection to “corrupt persons†who join the party and abolishing existing system of the BJP through which it sends honest people to jail are of the nature of executive decision and action. True speaking these two are not a tangible electoral agenda. The manner Kejriwal is rushing with his ideas simply strengthens the belief that he is engaged in the game of one-upmanship.

Though none of the INDIA bloc leader has opposed his ten point agenda, their remarks make it abundantly explicit that they do not either endorse his line. CPI(M) Kerala secretary MV Govindan emphasised on defeating BJP and deferred further discussions on a common minimum programme until after Lok Sabha election results. More or less DMK has the same approach. The DMK leadership outlined; “Most of the guarantees made by Kejriwal such as electricity and health are state subjects. They can be implemented only by states.

Even CPI general secretary D Raja said AAP’s guarantees are part of its manifesto and consultations with allies were unnecessary as each party has its own manifestos. “INDIA bloc members will come together and draw a common minimum programme after we win and form govt,†JMM’s general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya said: “We are of the same view of Kejriwal’s assurances. However, all these promises have been made by Congress in its election manifesto.†Lalu Prasad’s RJD declared that most of AAP’s “10 commitments†are already a part of their manifestos. RJD’s national vice president Shivanand Tiwari said “it is the duty of every govt to free Indian land from Chinese control. Even Amit Shah too is talking about taking back PoK†.