Bypoll victories welcome relief for AAP after Delhi defeat

New Delhi: Bypoll results usually do not signify much but the two victories in Punjab and Gujarat have come as a huge relief to beleaguered AAP after a resounding defeat in Delhi polls. It also reignited speculation about its chief Arvind Kejriwal now taking the Punjab route to Rajya Sabha, but on Monday, he denied any such move.

AAP won Ludhiana West with its candidate Sanjeev Arora, a Rajya Sabha MP, romping home with a 10,637 vote margin over Congress’ Bharat Bhushan Ashu, while in Gujarat, its candidate Gopal Italia won Visavadar seat by defeating BJP’s Kirti Patel by 17,554 votes. Both were AAP sitting seats.

The bypolls were necessitated in Ludhiana West by the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi, while in Vaavadar, Bhayani Bhupendrabhai Gandubhai deserted AAP to join BJP. However in Gujarat’ Kaadi, which the BJP retained, AAP was at a distant third with just 3,090 votes.

“In both the places, the victory margin has been almost double as compared to the last election. This shows that the people of Punjab are very happy with the work of our government and they have voted more than in 2022. The people of Gujarat are now fed up with BJP and they are seeing hope in AAP. Both the parties, Congress and BJP, had the same objective - to defeat AAP. But people rejected both these parties in both the places,” Kejriwal said.

The victory in Punjab has provided breathing space for the ruling AAP, as a loss would have added more trouble to the party as it would be facing Assembly elections in 2027. Though the polls are two years away, a perception was building that AAP is losing political and administrative grip in the state.

After the Delhi loss, there were murmurs of dissent in Punjab AAP and Kejriwal had met the MLAs in Delhi. Along with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his close aide Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, the AAP chief had campaigned in Ludhiana extensively.

Amid complaints from cadres that Delhi affairs have been left to Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, and not handled by the top leadership as earlier, Kejriwal had deputed Sisodia and Jain to Punjab and Gopal Rai to Gujarat.

Though AAP sources had earlier denied any plans to bring Kejriwal to Rajya Sabha from Punjab, Arora’s victory will once again ignite talks within the party and outside about such a possibility. Arora will have to resign as Rajya Sabha MP and speculation is that Kejriwal will take the vacant seat.

However, it is to be seen whether AAP will take such a call as Kejriwal hails from Haryana, and Punjab has longstanding issues with its neighbour on a variety of issues from control over Chandigarh as capital to water-sharing. The question that dominates is whether Kejriwal has the political capital to take a risk in Punjab before elections.

“Many times I have been sent to the Rajya Sabha. I want to tell you I am not going to the Rajya Sabha. The Political Affairs Committee will decide whom to nominate,” he told reporters.

In Gujarat, AAP’s victory is a signal to the Congress, which wants to make it a non-player. Though it garnered very less votes in Kadi, the victory in Visavadar will charge-up AAP which is planning a revamp in Gujarat. It also sends a message to the BJP as well that AAP still has pockets of influence.

It also marks the end of Congress-AAP alliance, which saw Kejriwal deciding not to contest Lok Sabha polls and support Congress. “We did not contest the bypolls to five seats (in 2022) but in Visavadar, we reminded Congress about it but it did not agree. Congress is a betrayer,” Kejriwal said.

The victories in the bypolls are also a boost for AAP’s national plans. After the Delhi polls, AAP had given its leaders assignments in various states. The AAP is also looking to field candidates in Bihar Assembly elections, though a senior Opposition leader said that it will not have any impact.

“Prashant Kishor has entered the Bihar fray. He echoes Kejriwal’s style of politics in many ways and he has not made much headway. So that provides a preview for the AAP,” the leader said.