Manish Sisodia, considered the second-in-command after Kejriwal in AAP, would naturally seem like the obvious choice to take over if Kejriwal resigns. However, Kejriwal has clarified that Sisodia will also stay out of any position until the public’s decision is clear. This has led to growing speculation within and outside the party about who the next Chief Minister will be. Currently, four major names are being discussed. Atishi, a minister in Kejriwal’s government, is considered the strongest contender for the Chief Minister’s post. A senior leader in the party and a close ally of Kejriwal, Atishi has handled important portfolios like education, water, PWD, revenue, planning, and finance. Her administrative experience and reliability make her a leading candidate. Recently, Kejriwal even recommended her name during the Independence Day event, though the suggestion was dismissed.

Arvind Kejriwal’s wife, Sunita Kejriwal, is also being mentioned as a potential candidate. However, she has no political experience and is not an elected legislator. Additionally, if Sunita were to become Chief Minister, it could open AAP to criticism from the BJP over nepotism. This makes her candidacy seem less likely. Delhi’s Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj is another contender. During Kejriwal’s and Sisodia’s legal battles, Bharadwaj and Atishi held the party steady. A young and respected leader, Bharadwaj has managed several key tasks in the party. His experience and reputation make him a strong candidate for the Chief Minister’s post.

Environment Minister Gopal Rai is also among the potential candidates. Known as the troubleshooter within the party, Rai has helped the party navigate tough times on multiple occasions. A senior leader with proven leadership, Rai is being considered a possible option for Chief Minister.Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot is another name in contention. Gahlot belongs to the Jat community, and his appointment as Chief Minister could benefit AAP in Haryana elections. His low-profile image and administrative experience make him a viable option for the role.

As per the agreement, the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP will contest four out of the seven seats in Delhi, namely West Delhi, South Delhi, East Delhi, and New Delhi. The remaining three constituencies – North East Delhi, North West Delhi, and Chandni Chowk – will be contested by the Congress.

The seat-sharing announcement comes after weeks of negotiations and was unveiled during a joint press conference of the AAP and the Congress. The move follows the recent success of the opposition’s INDIA bloc in the Chandigarh mayoral poll, marking their first electoral win.

In addition to Delhi, the alliance has extended to Gujarat, Haryana, Goa, and Chandigarh. In Gujarat, AAP will contest from Bharuch and Bhavnagar, while the Congress will field candidates in both Goa seats and the sole constituency in Chandigarh. The AAP had earlier declared a candidate for South Goa, which will now be withdrawn to accommodate the alliance.

However, seat-sharing remains a complex challenge for the INDIA bloc, with regional parties seeking a larger share of seats following the Congress’s electoral setbacks in key states. The Congress has already formed an alliance with Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party for 17 seats in Uttar Pradesh. However, deadlock persists in Maharashtra, where Congress and the Shiv Sena are yet to finalize the allocation of eight seats.

In West Bengal, another battleground, the Congress faces challenges as Trinamool Congress asserts its intention to contest all 42 seats. Sources indicate a reluctance from Trinamool to offer more than two seats to the Congress, which has been pushing for at least five in the eastern state.

The INDIA bloc, formed last year to counter the BJP, has faced setbacks with the departure of key members, including Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal-United and Jayant Chaudhary’s Rashtra Lok Dal, both aligning with the BJP. The evolving political landscape continues to shape alliances and strategies ahead of the crucial elections.

At a press briefing, Atishi highlighted that during the 16-hour-long raids at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s personal assistant Bibhav Kumar’s residence, no seizures were made, and ED still has not clarified yet about the case under which these searches were organized. In past few years, AAP leaders have been menaced, in the name of the liquor scam, people’s houses are raided, someone is getting summoned and someone is getting arrested .Even after hundreds of raids in these years, ED has not been able to recover even a single penny and has not found any solid evidence, whereas the court has repeatedly demanded for the evidence,stated Atishi.

On Monday, the AAP minister also hinted at a significant expose on the ED, promising revelations at 10 am the next day. ” The raid went on for 16 hours straight in the house of Kumar. During that time, ED officers were sitting in Bibhav Ji’s house. Headlines were made that raids were going on, but neither any search or seizure was made nor any grilling was done,” Atishi stated.

The ED had conducted searches at multiple locations, including the premises of AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP ND Gupta. She accused the ED for targeting leaders associated with Kejriwal and asserted that their actions were meant to attack the Chief Minister Of Delhi About 10 premises in the national capital were covered in the raids. The reasons for the searches are yet to be clarified, whether part of an ongoing investigation or linked to a new case.