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In January 2024, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal nominated Swati Maliwal to the Rajya Sabha, making her the party's first woman MP in Parliament. The move was seen as a sign of trust and recognition of Maliwal's work as an activist.
However, Maliwal's prolonged absence from India while AAP faced a series of arrests and controversies raised questions about her loyalty to the party. She returned to India in April and began campaigning for AAP, but her relationship with Kejriwal and other party leaders had soured.
On May 13, Maliwal went to Kejriwal's house without an appointment and demanded to meet him. This led to an altercation with AAP volunteer Bibhav Kumar, who allegedly assaulted her. Maliwal filed a police complaint against Kumar, and AAP expelled her from the party.
AAP suspects that Maliwal is in touch with a BJP leader and had come to Kejriwal's residence to 'harm' him. The BJP, meanwhile, has rubbished AAP's charges while mounting pressure on Kejriwal.
The Swati Maliwal controversy has come at a bad time for AAP, which is facing elections in Delhi in less than 10 days. The BJP is likely to use the controversy to raise questions about AAP's commitment to safety and dignity of women.