Kejriwal-led AAP swipes Delhi elections
Moneylife Digital Team 10 February 2015
Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP clean swept Delhi elections by winning 67 out of 70 seats, relegating BJP to a long-distant second position with just three seats and completely wiping out Congress
 
Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Admi Party (AAP) on Tuesday clean swiped Delhi Assembly elections by winning 67 out of 70 seats, thus making a spectacular come back to power nearly a year after its government had quit on the Lokpal Bill issue. While Kiran Bedi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was sidelined at a distant second place with just three seats, Ajay Maken-led Congress was nowhere on the results scene.
 
Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Somnath Bharti, Gopal Rai, Rakhi Birla, Saurabh Bhardwaj and all other prominent AAP leaders emerged victorious.

Almost all senior BJP leaders, including its chief ministerial nominee Kiran Bedi, lost the polls. Bedi was defeated by AAP's SK Bagga by 2,277 votes in Krishna Nagar constituency. The only saving grace for the BJP was victory of its former state unit president Vijender Gupta who won from Rohini.
 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Kejriwal on the victory and assured Centre's support for Delhi.
 
 
Addressing thousands of cheering supporters at the AAP office in central Delhi, Kejriwal said the AAP government would work in a manner that both the poor and the rich would be proud.
 
Kejriwal won the New Delhi seat with a margin of 31,583 votes defeating BJP’s Nupur Sharma, while Congress’ former minister Kiran Walia was at the third position.
 
Exactly a year after he had resigned as Delhi Chief Minister, the AAP convenor will take oath as the CM again on 14th February at Ramlila Maidan.

“Arvind Kejriwal will take oath as the Delhi Chief Minister on 14th February at Ramlila Maidan,” AAP leader Ashutosh said after the party’s landslide victory in the Delhi Assembly polls.
 
In last election, Kejriwal had defeated the three-time Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dixit on her home—turf by a margin of 25,864 votes.

However, after serving the government for 49 days, he had resigned on February 14 last year after his push for the anti—corruption Jan Lokpal Bill was blocked in the state Assembly by BJP and Congress.

Meanwhile, talking with reporters, Anna Hazare, the ‘once upon a time’ guru of Kejriwal and Bedi, said the loss in Delhi is of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and not that of Kiran Bedi, who was incorporated in BJP after the announcements of polls.
 
Accepting the mandate given by Delhiites, BJP's local unit president Satish Upadhyay admitted that the party failed to understand the mood of the people.

Congratulating Arvind Kejriwal for his party's landslide victory, Upadhyay said BJP will continue to serve the people as it did in the past.

"We accept the mandate given by the people of Delhi. We failed to understand the mood of the people. BJP will continue to serve the people as it had been doing in the past. I congratulate Kejriwal on his victory," Upadhyay added.
 
Congress general secretary Ajay Maken, who was the party's face in the Delhi polls, today resigned from the post, taking moral responsibility for the humiliating defeat at the hustings.

He congratulated AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal for his party's landslide victory and hoped he will fulfill all the dreams and promises made during campaigning for the Assembly polls.
 
According to reports, accepting the party's debacle, Delhi Congress President Arvinder Singh Lovely has sent his resignation to party President Sonia Gandhi.
 
Congress had won eight seats in the last Assembly polls in Delhi held in 2013 which threw a hung verdict.
Comments
MG Warrier
1 decade ago
Interesting analysis and diverse views. The debate must go on. As things stand, while there is glaring fallacy when one thinks of the vote share and number of seats won by each party, the discussion will meet a dead end in the context of coalition politics and the shift in voting pattern based on issues. Things may stabilise in course of time.
As regards the views about the recent political developments, allow me to share my view about 2014 General Election and the 2015 Delhi election:
“Delhi Elections-2015, is an affirmation of the people’s intolerance of the wide gap between preaching and practice by political leadership which was first demonstrated in Elections-2014. Though we need not underplay the roles played by Modi and Kejriwal in the two elections, one is tempted to believe that ‘WE THE PEOPLE’ have woken up from a long slumber and have decided to play the role expected of them by the writers of Indian Constitution.
Till 2013, elections in India were won or lost on the basis of money power and/or slogans which had mass-burial post-elections. In this context 2014 general election and 2015 Delhi election stand out and their relevance as ‘vote for change’ and ‘vote for honest politics’.
The role of money in elections need be reduced. Also, there is a felt need to bring some sanity in the sources and uses of resources mobilised by political parties.”

Ralph Rau
1 decade ago
Not SWIPES but SWEEPS.

With the Broom.
Bapoo Malcolm
1 decade ago
The same logic that gave 60% of the seats for 30% of the vote last May. Didn't see anyone complain then.
Veeresh Malik
Replied to Bapoo Malcolm comment 1 decade ago
Just an observation.

In one election, with 33% of the votes, they form the government with 60% of the seats.

In another election, again with 33% of the votes, they are nowhere with 4% of the seats.

That's democracy for you?
Bapoo Malcolm
1 decade ago
The same logic that gave 60% of the seats for 30% of the vote last May. Didn't see anyone complain then.
Deepak Mahulkar
1 decade ago
It was of course negative voting to BJP and Congress. Also both these parties targetted Kejriwal which created sympathy wave the way hero after bashing by many rouges get sympathy. Moreover, Kejriwal's much publicised soaps like free water, discount in electricty bills, loos have gone in his fevour. Such benifits are not available even in most advanced countries. If he looks at Centre to fulfill all these,it will be injustice to other states. He has to generate funds internally and look at centre for infra projects only.
Veeresh Malik
1 decade ago
54% of the votes = 67 seats.
33% of the votes = 3 seats.
10% of the votes = 0 seats.

Where is the logic in this extreme skew?

High time the election system in India was changed to provide proportionate representation.
manoharlalsharma
1 decade ago
It is nothing but BOILING of an AAM-AADMI in Capital-city of INDIA as we r BOILING @ Shree Ganesh CHS.,-Nerul since 15 years 4 JUSTICE.
Suketu Shah
1 decade ago
This happens only in Delhi-some outsider fooling them 2 times in 15 months.See what happened in Mumbai Oct 2014(BJP almost majority).This has taken bjp 10 steps back but they wl come strong 10000 steps forward.
Ache din ki shurvat hain.
Bapoo Malcolm
1 decade ago
Seems that Fadnavis is in a scooter without a helmet and a kid in front of the "driver".

Bad example when the CM himself breaks the law and has himself photographed doing it. In case, someone decides to find the excuse that the vehicle was stationary, it still is an offence. Unless it is in a private compound.

As is number plates sported by netas, in Devnagri, and with irregular fonts.

Why cannot we all follow simple laws? Breaking small ones leads to greater carnage.

Bapoo M. Malcolm
SuchindranathAiyerS
1 decade ago
BJP is a party based on an ideological cadre that is not employed from party (i.e. our hidden taxes) funds. Parachuting Kiran Bedi in like a Khangress Prima Donna would have sent the cadres home with just the BJP High Command and Kiran Bedi having to get the votes.
MOHAN
1 decade ago
After Delhi win, AAP says it will challenge Mualayam's SP in next UP polls.

Poor Lalu Prasad yadav. Who will lalu choose in UP - Mulayam or Kejriwal ?

Will his 'secular' son in law (Mulayam's grandson MP Tej Pratap Singh) join AAP?
MG Warrier
1 decade ago
Hope, such developments will open the eyes of the political leadership to the impatience of WE THE PEOPLE with the games the political leadersbip play with unstated support from bureaucracy and corporates. LET US CONGRATULATE THE PEOPLE OF DELHI.
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