Reshuffle in AAP; Bharadwaj Takes Delhi, Sisodia to Steer Punjab

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) unveiled a significant leadership overhaul on Friday, appointing former Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj as president of its Delhi unit and senior leader Manish Sisodia as Punjab in-charge, over a month after its Assembly poll defeat in Delhi. The decisions, finalized during a Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting at AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, signal a strategic reset following the party’s loss to the BJP in its stronghold.

Bharadwaj succeeds Gopal Rai, who now shifts to lead AAP’s Gujarat unit, while Sisodia takes the reins in Punjab—the party’s lone state in power. AAP General Secretary Sandeep Pathak announced additional appointments: he will oversee Chhattisgarh, Pankaj Gupta takes Goa, and Mehraj Malik heads Jammu and Kashmir. Co-in-charges include Satyendar Jain for Punjab and Durgesh Pathak for Gujarat, ahead of 2027 Assembly polls in Punjab, Gujarat, and Goa.

Kejriwal congratulated the appointees on X, while Bharadwaj, addressing reporters, highlighted AAP’s 43.5% vote share in Delhi—2% shy of BJP’s—saying, “Half of Delhi still trusts us. We’ll strengthen the party with those who stay post-defeat—they’re pure gold.” Sisodia, thanking Kejriwal on X, pledged to align Punjab’s AAP leaders and government under CM Bhagwant Mann to meet public expectations, adding, “It’s time to turbocharge Punjab’s transformation.”

The reshuffle follows AAP’s introspections after losing Delhi on February 3, 2025, ending its decade-long rule. Bharadwaj’s organizational focus aims to rebuild grassroots support, while Sisodia’s Punjab role leverages his experience to solidify AAP’s governance model. The party now eyes expansion in Gujarat and beyond, banking on its revamped leadership.