Former deputy chief minister of Delhi and AAP leader Manish Sisodia.
Credit: PTI photo
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita has played an "awesome" role in communicating her jailed husband's fighting spirit to people, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia has said, indicating her political role could end once the party supremo comes out of the Tihar Jail.
After Kejriwal's arrest on March 21 in connection with an excise policy case, Sunita has served as a bridge between him and the party, and also played a crucial role in the AAP's campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi, Gujarat and Haryana.
In an interaction with PTI editors at the news agency's headquarters, Sisodia also laughed away initial media speculations that Sunita Kejriwal would assume the role of chief minister.
Sisodia was also arrested in connection with the excise policy case on February 26 last year. He walked out of the Tihar Jail after being granted bail by the Supreme Court last week.
The former deputy chief minister said that as an Aam Aadmi Party leader, he knew even while in the prison that how the party was functioning and what would actually be happening in the wake of Kejriwal's arrest.
"Watching TV, it appeared that the whole party was gone, all the leaders were on the margins and it was just that Sunita Kejriwal was going to be the chief minister and only her oath was left. I say it because that is how the predictions are made," he said.
Praising Sunita Kejriwal as a "well-educated, well-behaved and seasoned lady", Sisodia said the party needed her at the time of crisis.
"At a time when her fighter husband was jailed, the party (AAP) was in need of someone who could reach out to the people and she became a credible, emotional voice of Arvind Kejriwal," he said.
Sunita Kejriwal had addressed a rally of opposition alliance INDIA bloc at the Ramlila Maidan in March. She had also gone to Ranchi to participate in the I.N.D.I.A. bloc's "Nyay Ulgulan Rally" in April.
Sisodia, who was in Tihar at that time, said, "This role played by Sunita Kejriwal was awesome. I felt very good watching her speeches on the TV. I am so proud of her for playing the role of communicating the fighting spirit of her imprisoned husband to the people in a very fine manner."
When asked about the future political role of Sunita Kejriwal, he said, "I think after Arvind ji comes out (of jail), this role could end. I don't think there is anything more to it." Sisodia, who is de facto number 2 in the AAP after Kejriwal, said he knew Sunita Kejriwal "very closely" as both their families were together for decades.
The wife of the Delhi chief minister is still actively involved in the Aam Aadmi Party's campaigning for assembly polls in Haryana slated by the year-end. She has regularly been to the state for campaigning in the past few weeks.
Also, she was present in the meeting of AAP MLAs in Delhi, along with Sisodia and other top leaders earlier this week to discuss preparations for assembly polls here likely in February next year.