Kejriwal calls Punjab bypolls win ‘semi-final’ before Delhi Assembly polls

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi also extended her wishes on X and said, “Congratulations to all the workers on the grand victory of AAP in the Punjab by-elections.”

New Delhi: AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday termed his party’s win in three out of four seats in the Punjab bypolls a “semi-final”, asserting that the party is on course for another historic mandate in Delhi.

Kejriwal, a former chief minister of Delhi, said the people of Punjab have chosen the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the second time which shows that it is doing good work.

“Over the past decade, we have established the Delhi model of governance that focuses on making life easier for the common man,” he said.

The AAP national convener also took to social media platform X and said, “The people of Punjab have once again expressed their faith in the ideology of the Aam Aadmi Party and the work of our government by giving us three out of four seats in the by-elections. A heartfelt thank you to the people of Punjab and many congratulations to everyone.”

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, referring to the AAP’s election symbol ‘broom’, said the party, which “used to clean homes and shops with a broom”, was now cleaning “all of India” under Kejriwal’s leadership.

Every promise made to the people of Punjab during the by-elections will be fulfilled on a priority basis, he added.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi also extended her wishes on X and said, “Congratulations to all the workers on the grand victory of AAP in the Punjab by-elections.”

This victory is the victory of Kejriwal’s politics of work and the victory of every Punjabi who dreams of Rangla Punjab, she said in Hindi.

Echoing similar sentiments, senior party leader Manish Sisodia wrote on X, “This is the result of Arvind Kejriwal’s honest politics and leadership, and Bhagwant Mann’s hard work. The people of Punjab have sent a clear message only the politics of work will prevail now, not lies and corruption.”

The AAP secured victories in three out of four assembly by-elections in Punjab, strengthening its hold in the state. The Congress managed to win one seat, while the BJP failed to secure any.

The bypolls were seen as a litmus test for the party because the AAP faced a drubbing in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in which it could win just three of the 13 parliamentary constituencies in Punjab.

Author