NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party‘s (AAP) loss in the Delhi assembly elections has sparked speculation about its political clout in Punjab, with opposition leaders in the state predicting a similar downfall.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a decisive victory in Delhi, reclaiming power after 26 years and dealing a severe blow to Arvind Kejriwal‘s AAP, whose senior leadership struggled to hold ground.
This marks the second major setback for AAP following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, in which the party secured only three of the 13 parliamentary seats in Punjab.
Delhi Election Results 2025
In contrast, AAP had secured a sweeping victory in the 2022 Punjab assembly elections, winning 92 out of 117 seats.
Before the Delhi polls, Punjab’s AAP unit, including chief minister Bhagwant Mann, cabinet ministers, MPs, and MLAs, actively campaigned in the national capital.
Mann, as the party’s key campaigner, conducted roadshows and highlighted the achievements of his government, such as providing 50,000 government jobs, offering 300 units of free electricity, setting up 850 ‘mohalla clinics,’ and acquiring a private thermal power plant.
With AAP now governing only Punjab, opposition parties in the state strongly criticised the party, asserting that the Delhi electorate has exposed its “lies and deceit”.
“It is a defeat of Arvind Kejriwal’s lies, deceit and dishonesty. People of Delhi today showed that you cannot rule the state for long by making false promises,” Punjab BJP general secretary Subhash Sharma told news agency PTI.
He further claimed that AAP’s governance had left Delhi in a “miserable” condition and warned that Punjab’s AAP leaders would face an even worse fate.
Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa predicted internal strife within AAP’s Punjab unit, claiming, “There would be an internal power struggle between Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal.”
He blamed the Delhi defeat on corruption, inefficiency, and arrogance within AAP’s leadership.
BJP leader Preneet Kaur expressed satisfaction over her party’s victory, adding that AAP’s much-touted “Delhi model” failed to deliver on its promises.
“We have seen that their “Aam Aadmi clinics” did not work here. What they had promised, they did not keep them,” she said.
Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira described the outcome as a setback for “fake revolutionaries” who had failed to uphold their commitments on issues like VIP culture, Lokpal, Swaraj, and corruption.
Punjab BJP vice president and former MLA Arvind Khanna called the Delhi mandate a rejection of AAP’s governance model, arguing that it signalled “the beginning of AAP’s downfall in Punjab as well”.
He emphasized that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India had experienced significant progress, making it crucial for Punjab to embrace BJP for real development.
Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu echoed similar sentiments on X, posting, “History rewritten in Delhi! After 27 years, the people have given BJP a resounding mandate, embracing PM @narendramodi’s vision of Viksit Bharat. This victory is a testament to trust, development, and a brighter future. Thank you, Delhi.”
He further accused AAP of harbouring “the most corrupt leaders” and suggested that the party’s downfall in Punjab was imminent.
With AAP facing a critical juncture, its future in Punjab remains uncertain as political opponents ramp up their attacks, sensing an opportunity to weaken the party’s hold on the state.