AAP on brink of collapse? Kejriwal scrambles to save Punjab fort

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): In the wake of AAP's crushing defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections party leader Arvind Kejriwal has called for a meeting with AAP MLAs and ministers from Punjab the only state where the party holds power. The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday comes after claims from Punjab Congress leaders that they are in contact with nearly 30 AAP MLAs. Reacting to Delhi's election results where the BJP regained power after 27 years Punjab Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa claimed that he had been in contact with AAP MLAs for a long time. Bajwa further suggested that the MLAs had realized their political futures in AAP were uncertain and that their careers were headed for a dead end.

Opposition leaders are also speculating about a possible split within AAP in Punjab and a potential reshuffle in the state government. AAP had won a landslide victory in Punjab in the 2022 Assembly elections claiming 92 out of 117 seats while Congress secured just 18 seats and the Shiromani Akali Dal won 3 seats. Bajwa took aim at Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann accusing them of making false promises to Punjab voters in the 2022 elections. He suggested that the results in Delhi signaled the start of AAP’s downfall.

Speculation has also emerged that Kejriwal might contest from the vacant Ludhiana seat and potentially join the Punjab government. Punjab BJP leader Subhash Sharma also hinted that Kejriwal might be eyeing the Chief Minister’s role in Punjab.

However, AAP MP Malvinder Singh Kang explained that the meeting is part of a "continuous process" of gathering feedback from party units to shape future strategies. He clarified that the meeting would be led by Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and would focus on organizational matters and planning for the future. In Delhi, AAP had dominated with 67 out of 70 seats in the Assembly but only managed 22 seats in the February 5 election. Several key AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj were defeated, while Atishi was the only notable leader to retain her seat.

AAP’s defeat in Delhi and the ongoing uncertainty in Punjab sets the stage for crucial political developments as the party seeks to navigate its future.