Days after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) suffered a major defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections, former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal convened a crucial meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and party MLAs from the state at Kapoorthala House in the national capital. The meeting, aimed at assessing the election results and discussing future strategies, saw the presence of all AAP Punjab legislators, as claimed by the party.
Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, after the meeting, addressed the media and reiterated the Punjab government’s commitment to public welfare. “The government has been working in favor of the people and will continue to do so. A huge investment is coming into Punjab, and we are committed to making Punjab the best development model in the country,” he said.
On the Delhi poll results, Mann stated that all Punjab MLAs had gathered to meet Kejriwal, who expressed gratitude for their support in the campaign. “Winning and losing is part of electoral politics,” he remarked, emphasizing that the party remains undeterred despite the setback.
BJP’s Manoj Tiwari Mocks Kejriwal, Claims He Wants to Be Punjab CM
Reacting to the meeting, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari took a swipe at Kejriwal, alleging that he now harbors ambitions of becoming Punjab’s Chief Minister. “Till now, Arvind Kejriwal showed no real concern for Punjab, and now, after losing in Delhi, he is suddenly holding meetings with Punjab MLAs. He has failed to fulfill the promises made to the people,” Tiwari remarked.
AAP’s Defeat in Delhi: A Setback with Political Implications?
The meeting comes in the wake of AAP’s crushing loss in Delhi, where the BJP secured 48 out of 70 seats, ending the Kejriwal-led party’s decade-long dominance in the capital. AAP managed to win just 22 seats, while Congress failed to open its account in the February 5 elections.
Before the polls, the entire Punjab unit of AAP, including Mann, ministers, MPs, and MLAs, had campaigned aggressively in Delhi. They highlighted achievements such as providing 50,000 government jobs, 300 units of free electricity, 850 ‘Aam Aadmi Clinics’ modeled after Delhi’s ‘Mohalla Clinics,’ and the purchase of a private thermal power plant.
However, AAP’s defeat in Delhi has raised concerns about its political trajectory, with opposition leaders predicting a similar downfall in Punjab. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, AAP could secure only three out of 13 seats in Punjab, a significant contrast to its sweeping victory in the 2022 state assembly elections, where it won 92 of 117 seats.