The presence of - and prominence accorded - to Sunita Kejriwal, the wife of jailed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, at the INDIA bloc rally in the national capital on Sunday has triggered speculations about the possibility that she could take a political plunge in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
What made her presence at the rally more conspicuous was the message of her husband Arvind Kejriwal that she read out in what appeared to be an attempt to strike an emotional chord with the audience at the Ramleela Maidan.
Sunita Kejriwal, since the arrest of her husband, has released several video messages, which is being seen as a political strategy of the Aadmi Aadmi Party (AAP) to give her a broader political space.
The question doing the rounds in political circles is whether Arvind Kejriwal is planning to hand over the reins of power in Delhi to his wife. The BJP leaders are already saying that Sunita Kejriwal is preparing to be the next Chief Minister of Delhi ever since her husband was taken into custody by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Recently, Sunita Kejriwal also initiated the 'Kejriwal ko Aashirwad' campaign sharing two Whatsapp numbers for his supporters to send their messages and extend their support.
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the ED in the alleged excise policy scam and is currently in the financial probe agency's custody.
Sunita Kejriwal shared the dias with top opposition leaders including Congress chief Malliarjun Kharge, MPs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, and Sitaram Yechury.
She began her address by posing a poignant question regarding the Prime Minister's role in her husband's arrest, asking whether it was justifiable.
"I want to ask a question. Is it justifiable that our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has imprisoned my husband? Do you believe in the integrity and patriotism of Kejriwal Ji? Despite calls from BJP members for his resignation due to his incarceration, do you think he should step down?," she said, before reading out the letter by the Delhi Chief Minister.
"Remember, your Kejriwal is resilient like a lion; they cannot confine him for long. Kejriwal lives in the hearts of crores of people because of the bravery and courage with which he is fighting for the country. Many times, I feel that in the freedom struggle, he was a freedom fighter who was martyred while fighting for the country. Even in this birth, Kejriwal ji has probably been sent to fight for Mother India," Sunita Kejriwal said.
Portraits of Bhagat Singh and B.R. Ambedkar alongside the Tricolour in the background of Sunita Kejriwal's video messages garnered more attention than her speech itself.
Social media buzzed with discussions about Sunita Kejriwal's speculated political debut. Many posts drew parallels with Rabri Devi, who assumed the role of Bihar Chief Minister in 1997 after her husband Lalu Prasad was jailed in a corruption case.
However, it's worth noting that Sunita Kejriwal holds no official position within the AAP and her occasional appearances haven't triggered significant political responses.
Reacting to Sunita Kejriwal's address, Union Minister Anurag Thakur sarcastically remarked that the AAP leader's wife has now joined the list of aspirants vying to succeed Arvind Kejriwal.
BJP MP Manoj Tiwari questioned Sunita Kejriwal's past actions, highlighting instances where she seemingly stood by as her husband "broke promises". He also criticised her for assuming a position of power amid controversies surrounding Arvind Kejriwal's governance.
The most noteworthy reactions, however, centred around Sunita Kejriwal delivering speeches from the same seat that her husband typically used to occupy during his addresses. While some interpreted this as a symbolic transfer of power within the AAP leadership, others questioned her right to occupy the "Chief Minister's seat".
The AAP has reiterated that Arvind Kejriwal will continue serving as the Chief Minister. Nevertheless, the party has refrained from commenting on speculations regarding Sunita Kejriwal's possible foray into politics.