The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured a resounding victory in Delhi on Saturday, reclaiming power in the national capital after more than 26 years. Winning 48 out of 70 seats, the BJP decisively defeated the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which was reduced to just 22 seats.
This loss marked a major blow to the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP, once seen as an unassailable force in Delhi politics. The defeat has not only cost AAP its political dominance in Delhi but also tarnished its reputation, which had been built over the past decade.
Kejriwal’s loss in the New Delhi constituency, alongside the defeat of other prominent party leaders like Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, and Saurabh Bharadwaj, has left the party at a critical juncture.
The party’s governance model, which focused on free electricity, water, and education reforms, failed to resonate with voters. Despite Kejriwal’s attempt to appeal to the electorate through a soft Hindutva approach, including offering stipends to temple priests, AAP’s appeal seemed to diminish in the face of a BJP resurgence.
The defeat in Delhi follows a turbulent year for AAP, which was already grappling with legal challenges and leadership upheavals.
In March 2024, Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an alleged corruption case linked to the excise policy, marking the first time a sitting chief minister had been detained. His time in Tihar jail, followed by interim bail, left a significant power vacuum in Delhi and hurt the party’s image.
While AAP leaders were eventually released on bail, the damage had been done, as public perception shifted, and voter confidence in the party eroded.
Is Punjab Next?
The loss in Delhi is a second major setback for AAP following its underwhelming performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where it managed to secure only three of the 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab.
This defeat has left Punjab as the sole state under AAP’s control. Despite the loss in Delhi, AAP still governs Punjab with a strong mandate and remains a recognised national party, which may allow it to maintain some level of influence in Indian politics.
In Punjab, opposition parties were quick to criticise the AAP, accusing the Kejriwal-led government of “misgovernance” and “deceiving voters with false promises.”
Punjab BJP General Secretary Subhash Sharma remarked, “It is a defeat of Arvind Kejriwal’s lies, deceit, and dishonesty. People of Delhi today showed that you cannot rule the state for long by making false promises.”
Sharma warned that AAP’s downfall in Punjab had begun and that the party’s condition would worsen as a result of its actions in Delhi.
Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa also predicted AAP’s internal disintegration in Punjab, with power struggles between Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. “There would be an internal power struggle between Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal,” Bajwa said.
He added that the party’s leadership, mired in corruption and non-performance, was responsible for the loss in Delhi. BJP Vice President Arvind Khanna echoed this sentiment, stressing that AAP’s defeat in Delhi marked the beginning of its decline in Punjab as well.
Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, commenting on X, celebrated the BJP’s victory, stating, “History rewritten in Delhi! After 27 years, the people have given BJP a resounding mandate, embracing PM Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat. This victory is a testament to trust, development, and a brighter future.” He further alleged that AAP was riddled with corruption and predicted a similar fate for the party in Punjab.
While AAP remains in power in Punjab, its future beyond the state remains uncertain. The party had previously made strides in expanding its influence, securing a 13 per cent vote share in Gujarat and making a breakthrough in Jammu and Kashmir.
However, the party now faces the daunting task of rebuilding trust and proving that its success in Punjab was not a fluke. With Kejriwal’s political stature weakened, AAP must redefine its strategy and address the corruption allegations that have plagued its leadership.
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