‘We are not just fighting the BJP or Congress; we are fighting an entrenched system of power-for-profit,’ says Arvind Kejriwal
NEW DELHI – Riding high on a wave of back-to-back by-poll victories in Gujarat and Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday staged a high-voltage celebration in the national capital, projecting itself as the only viable national alternative to the BJP-Congress duopoly.
Addressing party workers and leaders, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal said the electoral verdict from Ludhiana West and Visavadar in Gujarat signals a “historic shift in Indian politics.”
“The people have spoken — only AAP offers real hope to the nation,” declared Kejriwal to thunderous applause. “This is not just a win, it is a verdict against corruption, criminality, and dynastic politics.”
Victory of Trust, End of Myths
Kejriwal, flanked by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, senior party leaders Manish Sisodia, Gopal Rai, and newly elected MLAs Sanjeev Arora and Gopal Italia, said the wins in Punjab and Gujarat represent two strong currents — deepening public confidence in AAP’s governance and a mounting rejection of BJP’s long-standing dominance in Gujarat.
“In Gujarat, people are embracing the politics of transformation. This victory is a triumph of trust and aspiration,” Kejriwal said, calling Italia’s win a “headache for the BJP.”
The AAP chief took a firm stand on his party’s unique political ethos, asserting, “Our party stands for clean, honest politics. Sanjeev Arora and Gopal Italia are people with spotless records. We are not just fighting BJP or Congress; we are fighting an entrenched system of power-for-profit.”
He sharply criticised the BJP-Congress nexus, accusing both parties of sharing candidates and fielding token opposition. “Congress and BJP are two sides of the same coin,” Kejriwal charged. “Their top leadership is hand-in-glove. Congress betrayed us by fielding a candidate against us after we honoured a mutual agreement not to contest in their seats.
Highlighting AAP’s governance record in Punjab, Kejriwal praised Chief Minister Mann’s aggressive anti-drug campaign. “The bulldozers are not symbolic — they are real. We are seizing properties of smugglers, and no one is spared, no matter how powerful,” he said. He claimed previous regimes in Punjab, including ministers, used government vehicles to traffic drugs and protected international smugglers.
“The people who dragged Punjab into the drug mess will be held accountable,” he promised.
Kejriwal also took a swipe at conventional political wisdom, saying AAP has shattered the notion that “good people should stay away from politics.” He credited hard work and clean leadership for the resounding victories.
Sanjeev Arora’s Ludhiana West victory, according to Kejriwal, reflects a growing pro-incumbency trend, rare in Indian politics. “Despite fewer votes cast, Arora’s winning margin increased from 7,500 to over 10,000,” he noted. “This shows growing public trust.”
Mann said the AAP had altered public perception of politics as a field of privilege. “In other parties, the post of district president is reserved for nephews and sons-in-law. We have changed that,” he said, calling Kejriwal the “head of a political family that works for the people.”
Newly elected MLA Sanjeev Arora called his victory a mandate for development and clean campaigning. “I never mentioned an opponent’s name. I just told the people what we’ve delivered in the last three years,” he said, thanking Kejriwal and Mann for their trust.
Gopal Italia, who wrested the Visavadar seat from the BJP despite heavy odds, declared: “Gujarat is tired of the BJP’s 30-year rule. The people want change, and they’ve found hope in AAP.”
He credited AAP for bringing a revolutionary political culture where “governments are neither formed through money nor used to make money.”
Concluding his address, Kejriwal framed the victories as a precursor to AAP’s ambitions for the 2027 state and national elections. “These elections are the semi-finals,” he said. “In Punjab, we will cross 100 seats. And in Gujarat, we are on course to form the government.”
As the Aam Aadmi Party eyes national expansion, these by-poll victories, symbolic as they may seem, could mark the beginning of a new political equation — one in which India’s electorate signals that it is ready for a credible, clean, and citizen-first alternative.
