By Sandeep Kotwal

The first year of a government often reveals its instinct, whether to deliver visible benefits that people feel immediately, or to focus on deeper reforms whose impact may unfold only years later.

Looking at Arvind Kejriwal’s first year as Delhi Chief Minister in 2015–16 alongside Omar Abdullah’s return as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in 2024–25 shows two very different instincts at work.

Kejriwal came to office in February 2015 with a landslide mandate and wasted little time turning promises into pocketbook relief.

Electricity bills dropped overnight with a 50 percent subsidy for households consuming up to 400 units. Every family received 20,000 liters of free water each month. Mohalla Clinics sprang up across neighbourhoods, offering free medicines and basic care. School budgets grew, classrooms expanded, and teacher shortages were addressed.

To tackle pollution, Delhi experimented with the odd-even traffic policy, and bus rides for women became........

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