The results of the Delhi Assembly elections have been extremely disappointing for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). After securing a sweeping majority in the past two elections, AAP faced a crushing defeat this time. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious with 48 out of 70 seats, forming the government, while AAP was left with just 22 seats, placing it in the opposition.
This election outcome has been quite surprising. Not only did prominent leaders like Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and Awadh Ojha lose, but five other key figures of the party also faced defeat. These losses have been a significant setback for AAP. Only a handful of senior leaders, including Atishi, Amanatullah Khan, Mukesh Ahlawat, and Imran Hussain, managed to win their seats and secure a place in the assembly.
Five Seats Where BJP Stunned AAP
- Rajendra Nagar Seat: AAP’s senior leader Durgesh Pathak suffered a surprising defeat here. BJP’s young candidate Umang Bajaj defeated Pathak, securing 46,671 votes against Pathak’s 45,440 votes, marking a margin of 1,231 votes. Congress’s Vineet Yadav received 4,015 votes. Pathak is considered a crucial strategist within AAP, making this loss significant.
- Malviya Nagar: Former Delhi minister and renowned lawyer Somnath Bharti, who was AAP’s candidate, faced defeat against BJP’s Satish Upadhyay. Upadhyay won with 39,564 votes, while Bharti secured 37,433 votes, leading to a margin of 2,131 votes.
- Shakur Basti: Another major loss for AAP came with Satyendar Jain’s defeat. Jain, who was previously arrested in a money laundering case, lost to BJP’s Karnail Singh by a massive 20,000 votes. Singh secured 56,869 votes, while Jain managed only 35,871 votes.
- Madipur: Deputy Speaker of the Delhi Assembly and senior AAP leader Rakhi Bidlan was defeated by BJP’s Kailash Gangwal. Gangwal won with a margin of 10,899 votes, receiving 52,019 votes compared to Bidlan’s 41,120 votes.
- Greater Kailash: Former Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj’s defeat came as another major shock. He lost to BJP’s Shikha Rai, who secured 49,594 votes against Bhardwaj’s 46,406 votes, resulting in a margin of 3,188 votes.
The Delhi Assembly election results have significantly reshaped the political landscape, with AAP facing unexpected losses in crucial constituencies. The road ahead appears challenging for the party as it regroups and re-evaluates its strategies for the future.
