Punjab bypolls show AAP on course to big win in Delhi: Kejriwal

Terming bypoll victories in Punjab a “semi-final” to the upcoming Delhi Assembly election, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday said his party is on course to another comprehensive victory in the Capital.

The ruling AAP in Punjab won three of the four seats in the byelections, months after a dismal show in the Lok Sabha poll in the State. 

The party had, in the 2022 Punjab Assembly election, wrested power from the Congress, winning 92 of the 117 Assembly seats.

Flanked by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Mr. Kejriwal said AAP workers in Delhi should ensure that the party repeats the performance of the previous two Assembly polls. AAP had won 67 and 62 of the 70 seats in the 2015 and 2020 Assembly polls respectively.

“When we came to power in Delhi for the first time (in 2013), we gave people a glimpse of our model of governance in our 49-day rule. Seeing this, Delhi voted for us decisively in the 2015 election,” he said.

Mr. Kejriwal said their model of governance — which ensure free bus rides for women, quality schools and health facilities, and uninterrupted power and water supply — is now being replicated by BJP-ruled States.

“This is good as long as the country gets benefit,” he said.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva claimed people have made up their mind to install a “double engine” government in the Capital by voting for his party in the Assembly poll.

He said the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) victory in the Maharashtra Assembly poll will help the party cement its position among Delhi voters.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor asked if the AAP victories in Punjab are a reflection of the party’s performance in Delhi then why they were rejected in Haryana in the recently held Assembly polls.

AAP had failed to open its account in Haryana despite contesting 89 of 90 Assembly seats there.

Published - November 24, 2024 12:33 am IST