'Shamelessness on display!' Swati Maliwal crticizes Atishi’s victory celebration amid AAP’s poll loss

Delhi:

In a fiery social media post, former Delhi commission for women chairperson and AAP MP Swati Maliwal has harshly criticized outgoing Delhi CM Atishi for celebrating her victory in the Delhi Assembly elections while the party suffered a massive defeat. Maliwal, who has recently emerged as one of Arvind Kejriwal's most vocal critics, blasted Atishi for dancing with supporters and celebrating her win despite AAP’s crushing loss in the polls.

"What shamelessness is this?" 

Atishi, who managed to retain her Kalkaji seat by defeating BJP's 'Ramesh Bidhuri' with a margin of 3,521 votes, is one of the few AAP leaders who emerged victorious. However, most of the party’s top leadership, including Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Saurabh Bharadwaj, faced defeat.

Maliwal’s tirade against Atishi came after the latter’s victory celebration went viral on social media, showing her dancing joyfully with her supporters. Maliwal posted a video of the celebration on her platform X, expressing outrage at what she called "shamelessness."

ये कैसा बेशर्मी का प्रदर्शन है ? पार्टी हार गई, सब बड़े नेता हार गये और Atishi Marlena ऐसे जश्न मना रही हैं ?? pic.twitter.com/zbRvooE6FY

— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) February 8, 2025

"What kind of shamelessness is this? The party lost, all the big leaders lost, and Atishi Marlena is celebrating like this?" Maliwal wrote, highlighting the stark contrast between Atishi’s joy and the party's overall defeat. This remark has ignited a fresh political controversy, fueling tensions within the AAP and adding fuel to Maliwal’s growing disillusionment with Kejriwal’s leadership.

Atishi's victory amid party’s defeat  

While Atishi’s personal success in the elections has been significant, she remains one of the few AAP candidates to secure a win. Despite the party’s underwhelming performance, Atishi managed to hold onto her seat in Kalkaji, which has become a stronghold for her. However, many of the party’s prominent figures were not as fortunate.

Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Saurabh Bharadwaj faced unexpected defeats, marking a huge blow for the AAP in the Delhi Assembly elections. In the midst of such a defeat, Atishi’s celebration of her victory sparked outrage, particularly from Swati Maliwal, who called it a display of "shamelessness."

Maliwal’s growing rift with Kejriwal  

Maliwal, once a close ally of Kejriwal, has become one of the most outspoken critics of the AAP supremo in recent times. She has openly expressed her discontent with the direction the party has taken under Kejriwal’s leadership. Maliwal’s criticism of Atishi further underscores the growing rift within the AAP, with several leaders dissatisfied with the current state of affairs.