Sources said he took a flight to Delhi from Amritsar to welcome his party leader, who, according to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), would be released from Tihar jail on Friday evening. His Cabinet ministers will also be going to Delhi to meet him.

An AAP leader said that Mann will be meeting him as soon as he comes out of jail.

“Thanks to the Supreme Court…Now we will fight the battle to save democracy with more vigour…Arvind Kejriwal is not a person but an ideology… and now we will move forward faster. Inquilab Zindabad,” Mann wrote in a post on X.

The AAP in Punjab is hoping that with Kejriwal’s bail, the party will become stronger in the state. Finance minister Harpal Cheema wrote on X, “Today’s interim bail order for @ArvindKejriwal Ji by Hon’ble Supreme Court reaffirms the honesty and integrity of the @AamAadmiParty. Grateful to the judiciary for upholding justice. Arvind Ji’s presence among us will give all of us energy and vigour to fight and win.”

An aide of Kejriwal, Cabinet minister Dr Balbir Singh wrote on X, “Beginning of the end for the dictatorial Modi regime in India. India’s favorite son, babbar sher @ArvindKejriwal ji has been given bail by Supreme Court. All the evil planning of BJP has failed to work! Now just watch how the INDIA campaign will shoot up. We are so happy & thankful to Waheguru ji!.”

Party leaders said that Kejriwal’s release would whip up AAP’s campaign in the state. Kejriwal’s wife Sunita was to come to Punjab but her programme was put on hold after the Supreme Court reserved its order on Kejriwal’s bail.

A leader said that with Kejriwal out on bail, he would be campaigning extensively in the state. “The apex court has allowed him interim bail till June 1, till the last phase of elections. Delhi and Punjab are the most important states for AAP and he would be able to campaign in both states,” the leader said.

Delhi will go to polls on May 25 and Punjab on June 1.