NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s first-ever defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections since its emergence has certainly hurt the party's national ambitions.
With this dramatic loss in its first citadel, party convener Arvind Kejriwal, who was once discussed in the power corridors as a potential Prime Ministerial candidate, is expected to have a tough time while bargaining for its share with the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc partners.
A former AAP leader said that after the drubbing in Haryana, the setback in Delhi leaves the party leadership on a sticky wicket and makes it difficult for Kejriwal to assert his position in the INDIA bloc. The AAP managed to get just 1.76 per cent of vote share despite contesting all 90 assembly constituencies in Haryana.
With a significant electoral debut in December 2013 when it had won 28 seats in Delhi, the political startup, riding high mainly on clean governance, successfully positioned itself as the crusader, which could reshape the contours of Indian politics in the coming years.
The 49-day government further strengthened the faith of city electorates, who were probably tired of voting for traditional players; the Congress and BJP.
The formula worked and the AAP sent the nation into a frenzy in 2015 as it wiped out the saffron party and also the grand old party, which had ruled over Delhi 15 years in a row.
The AAP managed to retain its charm in the 2020 assembly elections too.
An unambiguous electoral success in Punjab in 2022 further consolidated the AAP’s spot as a formidable player at the national level. In the same year, the party swept municipal elections in Delhi and captured a vote share of 12.9 per cent in Gujarat Assembly polls.
Kejriwal looked inexorable. His political opponents believed that he could dictate the terms while forging alliances. His aspiration to propel at national level also seemed justified as the Congress continued to lose its ground. However, his party failed to make a significant mark in the Lok Sabha.
In December 2023, Kejriwal proclaimed the expansion of the party in other states. He also announced that the AAP would campaign and contest all the seats as a member of the INDIA bloc.
The party's defeat in Delhi will give a boost to its critics and rivals who have been dismissive of AAP.
Reacting to the development, former AAP leader and noted political analyst Yogendra Yadav launched a veiled attack on Kejriwal. He said that the Delhi elections result is a setback for all those who hoped for alternative politics and for the entire opposition.
"Time for INDIA bloc leaders to set aside oneupmanship, forge an alternative agenda and join hands in defending the republic," he posted on ‘X’.
