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NEW DELHI: The arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday night has sparked a unified response from the opposition bloc in India, rallying against what they perceive as “vendetta politics” orchestrated by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Even the Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Mamata Banerjee, which had previously distanced itself from the opposition alliance known as INDIA and was contesting Lok Sabha seats independently in West Bengal, rekindled its association with the coalition.TMC participated in a joint meeting with the Election Commission in Delhi on Friday, marking its return to the opposition fold after unsuccessful seat-sharing negotiations with the Congress in Bengal.
While opposition leaders have vehemently condemned Kejriwal’s arrest, party activists have taken to the streets across states, protesting against what they perceive as the targeting of constitutional leaders by central agencies just before the elections.
Congress, a key ally of Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi, Haryana, and Gujarat for the Lok Sabha polls, asserted that Kejriwal’s arrest reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unease about the growing strength of the INDIA bloc. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh characterized the arrest as “vendetta politics,” emphasizing that it demonstrates the ruling party’s anxiety. He claimed that Kejriwal’s arrest will only bolster unity within the INDIA bloc.
Mamata Banerjee condemned Kejriwal’s arrest as a “blatant assault on democracy” and announced the opposition bloc’s intention to meet the Election Commission to voice their objections. She expressed solidarity with Kejriwal and his family, denouncing the arrest on social media.
Sharad Pawar, veteran Maharashtra leader and head of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), condemned the arrest, attributing it to the BJP’s misuse of power. Pawar expressed confidence in the electorate’s ability to respond to such actions during elections, drawing parallels to the collective resistance seen during the Emergency period.
Samajwadi Party leader and former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav criticized the ruling regime for what he perceives as attempts to weaken democracy by imprisoning elected officials and suppressing dissenting voices.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) and Communist Party of India (CPI) also criticized Kejriwal’s arrest, alleging that it reflects panic within the Modi government over public discontent.
Opposition parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference (NC), described Kejriwal’s arrest as a “blot on democracy” that would tarnish the country’s image internationally.



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