Swati Maliwal, a prominent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, has become a fierce critic of her own party in the wake of its crushing defeat in the Delhi assembly elections. Though she did not contest the election, her reaction has been loud and clear, marking her disillusionment with AAP’s leadership.

As the results began to roll in, showing AAP's poor performance with only 22 seats against BJP's 48, Maliwal wasted no time in posting a symbolic image on social media. She shared an image of Draupadi’s cheerharan from the Mahabharata, which is a symbol of humiliation. The post went viral, striking a chord with many who shared her sense of defeat within the party. For Maliwal, the image was a reflection of her feelings after AAP’s election loss.

Clashing with Atishi over celebrations

Maliwal’s frustration with AAP’s leadership grew stronger when she targeted Atishi, another senior leader, for celebrating her victory against BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri. Despite the party’s overall defeat, Atishi held a roadshow, even dancing in celebration. Maliwal called it “shameless,” questioning why Atishi would celebrate in the face of such a huge loss for the party. “What kind of shameless display is this?” Maliwal wrote on social media, expressing her anger at the celebrations while top leaders like Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Satyendra Jain faced defeat in their constituencies.

Tensions that go beyond the Election

This criticism was not the first time Maliwal voiced her dissatisfaction with the party. Earlier, in May 2024, she had accused Bibhav Kumar, a close associate of Arvind Kejriwal, of assaulting her. She claimed that during a visit to Kejriwal’s residence, Kumar slapped, punched, and dragged her, and when she called for help, her cries were ignored. Though some party leaders initially condemned the assault, the AAP’s dismissive response to her allegations only deepened her frustration and set the stage for her vocal criticism of the party.

Civic issues in focus

Maliwal’s discontent with AAP’s leadership didn’t end with her social media posts. She also took her frustrations to the streets, visiting areas like Vikaspuri and Burari to highlight the city’s civic problems, including piles of garbage and poor sanitation. Her criticism of Kejriwal intensified as she accused him of turning the Yamuna river into a “drain.” In a bold move, she even challenged him to bathe in its polluted waters, using the opportunity to further distance herself from the party.