- Bigwigs like captain, cricketer, Badal, CM trailing behind AAP candidates
- Like in Delhi, AAP set to sweep Punjab
Arvind Kejriwal, chief of Aam Admi Party-AAP- is the man in the news today as he won Punjab for his party in the same way he won Delhi twice earlier, with absolute majority. AAP has won 92 seats in Punjab’s 117. AAP is the only fourth party to go national in the sense after the Congress, the BJP and the Left Parties, AAP is the only party to win in a second State. The Congress ended up with 18 seats, Akalis got four and BJP and Capt. Amarider Singh’s party got two seats and others one. AAP virtually created a tsunami.
Raghav Chaddha, spokeman of AAP who was in charge of Punjab election campaign, told NDTV, “Arvind is slated to become prime minister of the country one day. I see AAP becoming a national force. AAP is going to be the national and natural replacement of the Congress.” AAP is going to rule its first full-fledged State. Delhi where it has been in power since 2015 is not a full-fledged State with law and order in the hands of Union Home Ministry. Punjab with its border with Pakistan, financial deficit, agricultural problems and the drugs menace will be a difficult State to rule for the AAP. But if the reforms implemented in Delhi in areas of health and education are replicated in Punjab, AAP has clear possibility of sustaining in Punjab. AAP can approach Gujarat elections with more confidence and faith in itself.
Senior and established leaders like former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Akali Dal’s Prakash Singh Badal, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu have been trailing behind AAP candidates. “Ik Mauka Kijriwal Nu (Give Kejriwal a chance)” was the AAP’s Punjabi slogan in Punjab elections. In 2017 also AAP did well in Punjab although the people voted overwhelmingly for the Congress party.
Raghav Chaddha went on to say, “It is a tremendous day for AAP as a Party, because today we have become a national party. We are no longer a regional party. May the almighty bless us and Arvind Kijriwal. May he lead the nation one day.” AAP was founded in 2012 in the wake of anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare.
