Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a sharp critique of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its leader, Arvind Kejriwal, labeling them as “those who awarded themselves certificates of honesty while betraying the public through corruption.” He also disparaged the Congress party, describing it as a “sinking parasite that drags its allies down,” reflecting the mood in Delhi following the Assembly election results that emerged on Saturday.
The defeat of AAP was starkly evident in the election results. The party, which celebrated its debut performance in 2013 by securing 28 seats with a 29.5 percent vote share, had reached higher highs in subsequent elections, winning 67 seats with a 54.3 percent share in 2015 and 62 seats with a 53.57 percent share in 2020. However, in the latest polls, AAP suffered a significant setback, winning only 22 seats and experiencing a nearly ten percent drop in vote share to 43.57 percent. In contrast, the BJP emerged with 45.56 percent of the vote share, capturing a substantial 48 seats in the 70-member Assembly.
A visibly shaken Kejriwal, who lost his own constituency to BJP’s Parvesh Sahib Singh by 4,089 votes, briefly surfaced to accept defeat, vowing to continue serving the people. “We will not only act as a constructive opposition but will also stay connected with the public and continue to serve them,” he stated.
In his post-election remarks, Prime Minister Modi encapsulated AAP’s downfall by portraying the party, which once thrived on an anti-corruption platform, as one that ultimately succumbed to the same corruption it once fought against. He pointed out that the party’s leadership, including the Chief Minister and several top ministers, faced corruption charges, thus betraying the trust of the citizens. Modi remarked, “What was once a party that vowed to eradicate corruption now stands accused of erecting a magnificent residence for the Chief Minister while the public suffered, particularly during the pandemic.”
He promised to “penalize” AAP for its alleged corrupt practices, guaranteeing that a report from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) would be presented during the first Assembly session, with a thorough investigation into corruption to follow. “Whoever has defrauded the public will face consequences. This is Modi’s assurance,” he declared.
As for the Congress party, which failed to secure any seats but inadvertently hindered AAP’s performance by garnering more votes than the margin by which the BJP won in 14 constituencies, Modi had harsh words. The top leadership of AAP—Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Somnath Bharti—each lost their seats partly because of the Congress candidates performing better than what was needed to tip the scales against them.
“Congress has achieved a triple zero,” Modi stated, critiquing the party for its ineffectiveness while implying they were patting themselves on the back for their lack of success. He asserted that the public has lost all faith in Congress, which, he claimed, acts as a parasite that pulls down its allies. He accused Congress of seizing the issues and voter bases of its partners, stating that the party is attempting to undermine regional parties across various states, including the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh, and similar tactics in Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, and West Bengal.
Modi also expressed appreciation for the middle class, highlighting their “wisdom” and reaffirming the BJP’s commitment to their welfare, referencing recent announcements like the establishment of the eighth pay commission and tax relief in the Union Budget.
