Jitters in AAP's Punjab unit after Delhi debacle? Kejriwal, Mann to hold key meeting tomorrow as oppn sees a chance

Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann

The Aam Aadmi Party's debacle in the Delhi elections has caused jitters in its Punjab unit, with the party going into a huddle.

Former Delhi chief minister and party chief Arvind Kejriwal has called for a crucial meeting with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and the state’s MLAs in Delhi on Tuesday.

According to party sources, the discussion will focus on the election outcome and its potential implications for AAP’s stronghold in Punjab.

The meeting comes just two days after BJP wrested power from AAP in the national capital, winning 48 out of 70 seats. Kejriwal, the face of AAP, lost his own seat of New Delhi to BJP's Parvesh Verma.

The results seem to have emboldened the opposition in Punjab, with BJP and Congress leaders predicting further troubles for the Kejriwal-led party in the state.

AAP defeat gives fodder to opposition

BJP leaders in Punjab have seized the moment to launch an aggressive attack on AAP, claiming that Punjab voters will soon oust the party.

BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership for the party’s historic win in Delhi. “Delhi gets a new sunrise which promises to usher in a new era of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas',” Chugh said in a statement.

Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu warned that Punjab is next in line to reject AAP. “Now it is the turn of Punjab. The people of Punjab have made up their minds. It is now the turn of hypocrites,” Bittu said.

He added that AAP’s governance in Punjab has been riddled with failures, and the public sentiment is shifting against it.

Echoing similar sentiments, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar said that the people of Punjab are disillusioned with AAP’s governance.

“Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, Punjab must also be made 'AAP-da' free,” Jakhar said in a post on X.

He accused the Bhagwant Mann government of failing to maintain law and order and warned that Punjab’s electorate will punish AAP in the next assembly elections.

BJP leader Subhash Sharma further alleged that AAP’s tenure in Punjab has been marked by misgovernance. “The people of Delhi have proved they do not believe in Kejriwal’s false promises. Punjab will follow suit in 2027,” he said.

Punjab should prepare for 'mid-term polls'

Congress, which is the main opposition in Punjab, has also seized the opportunity to target AAP.

Even though Congress and AAP are part of the broader INDIA bloc at the national level, the grand old party's state leaders were quick to predict major power changes in Punjab following Kejriwal's ouster.

Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, claimed that Kejriwal may now attempt to replace Bhagwant Mann as Punjab’s chief minister.

“After a massive setback in Delhi, Kejriwal will now head to Punjab,” Bajwa told The Indian Express.

Bajwa pointed to a recent statement by Punjab AAP leader Aman Arora, who said that a Hindu could also become the state’s chief minister. Bajwa suggested that this could be a calculated move to pave the way for Kejriwal’s entry into Punjab politics following his defeat in Delhi.

Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa went a step further, predicting mid-term elections in the state.

“Punjab should be ready for mid-term polls. At least 35 AAP MLAs are ready to jump ship. The Delhi results will expose the corruption of AAP in Punjab,” Randhawa said.

Former AAP leader and current Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira called the Delhi outcome a humiliation for Kejriwal. “This is a defeat of the politics of deceit and falsehood. The message is clear for Bhagwant Mann—abandon vendetta politics or meet the same fate,” Khaira said.

Why Punjab matters for AAP

AAP, which has dominated the political landscape of Delhi for a decade, has been harbouring national ambitions for the last few years.

Though it has contested elections in states like Gujarat, Goa and Uttarakhand, the party tasted little success beyond Delhi.

Punjab is the only other state that AAP managed to breach since its formation after winning the 2022 assembly elections in the state.

The elections in Punjab are due in 2027 but opposition BJP and Congress are banking on AAP's Delhi debacle to put the party on the backfoot in the state.

While AAP has yet to respond to the growing concerns within its Punjab unit, the upcoming meeting between Kejriwal, Mann, and the party’s MLAs will be closely watched.