In a resounding show of political momentum, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has clinched two crucial victories in the recent bypolls held across five assembly constituencies, sending a powerful signal across the national political landscape. Declaring the outcome as a watershed moment, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal said, “The message from Gujarat and Punjab is loud and clear — only the Aam Aadmi Party is capable of freeing this country from the BJP.”
While Punjab reaffirmed its faith in AAP’s governance, Gujarat voters indicated a strong yearning for change. Despite the BJP and Congress joining forces to try and stop AAP’s rise, the people decisively rejected both, making it clear that the era of traditional parties is drawing to a close.
At a press conference, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, flanked by Punjab Prabhari Manish Sisodia and Gujarat Prabhari Gopal Rai, stated, “Today, the results of by-elections on a few seats have been declared. The Aam Aadmi Party has won two out of the five seats. One seat was won by the Congress, one by the Bharatiya Janata Party, one by the Trinamool Congress, and two by the Aam Aadmi Party—Visavadar in Gujarat and Ludhiana West in Punjab.”
Congratulating the AAP candidates, Arvind Kejriwal said, “I would first like to congratulate Sanjeev Arora, who has won from Ludhiana West, and Gopal Italia, who has won from the Visavadar seat. I also want to congratulate and thank the people of both states for placing their trust in the Aam Aadmi Party.”
Drawing attention to a key trend, he added, “In 2022, elections were held in Punjab in February and in Gujarat in December. That year, we had won the Visavadar seat in Gujarat. However, our MLA later defected to the BJP, leading to this by-election. In 2022, the margin by which we won both Visavadar and Ludhiana West was significantly smaller than now—this time we have won both seats with nearly double the margin.”
Highlighting public approval of AAP’s governance, the AAP Chief emphasised, “This is a strong signal. Punjab has an AAP government, and the people there are clearly happy with our performance. In 2022, we had won 92 out of 117 seats in what was called an AAP wave. Today, we’ve won by double of those margins.”
Arvind Kejriwal continued, “Many are calling this a semi-final for 2027. If 2022 was a wave, then 2027 is going to be a full-blown storm. This by-election in Ludhiana West reflects the public mood in Punjab and confirms people’s overwhelming support for AAP’s work.”
Turning to the Gujarat result, he added, “The people of Visavadar have given us victory with double the margin as in 2022. It’s often said that ruling parties win by-elections. In Gujarat, the BJP holds immense power over administration, police, and institutions, and fights elections using every trick in the book—money, muscle, manipulation. Yet, despite all this, we have won. This proves how deeply frustrated people are with 30 years of BJP misrule. They’ve started raising their voice, and this vote is a reflection of growing trust in AAP’s policies and its work in Delhi and Punjab.”
Criticizing Congress’s collapse and the shifting political landscape, Arvind Kejriwal said, “In the 2022 Gujarat elections, the Congress had won 17 seats, AAP had won 5. Since then, five Congress MLAs defected to the BJP. Of those five, by-elections were held last year—and Congress lost all five seats to BJP. Meanwhile, only one of AAP’s five MLAs defected, and we have just taken that seat back from BJP. This shows that the real contest in Gujarat is now between the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party.”
Explaining the emerging AAP-BJP face-off, Arvind Kejriwal added, “Of the two seats where by-elections were held this time, one was won by BJP and the other by AAP. Congress contested alongside BJP on both seats. Congress’s status across all states has become the same—they have become BJP’s puppets, helping them win.”
The AAP Chief further added, “Everyone saw how Congress helped BJP in Delhi. In Visavadar too, they did everything to ensure BJP’s victory. The entire top Congress leadership is in BJP’s pocket—completely compromised. The common Congress worker wants to defeat the BJP, the local Congress leader wants to defeat the BJP, but the top Congress leadership sits comfortably in BJP’s lap.”
Calling out to Congress supporters, Arvind Kejriwal appealed, “Don’t expect Congress to ever defeat the BJP. Their top leadership is in a cozy arrangement with the BJP. Only the Aam Aadmi Party is genuinely fighting to save this country and its states from BJP’s grip. I invite all sincere Congress workers to join AAP and be part of this fight.”
Arvind Kejriwal Quells Rajya Sabha Speculation, Says PAC Will Decide Nominee
Responding to speculation about his own political move, Arvind Kejriwal clarified, “Let me make it clear: I am not going to Rajya Sabha. The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) will decide who will be sent, but I am not going. Though many have sent me off to the Rajya Sabha several times already, I’m still here.”
Arvind Kejriwal took to ‘X’ and wrote, “Heartiest congratulations to everyone on Aam Aadmi Party’s spectacular victory in Gujarat’s Visavadar and Punjab’s Ludhiana West seats. Many congratulations and a big thank you to the people of Gujarat and Punjab. In both places, we won with nearly double the margin compared to the previous election. This victory shows that the people of Punjab are very happy with the work of our government and have voted for us even more than in 2022. The people of Gujarat are now fed up with the BJP and see hope in the Aam Aadmi Party. In both places, Congress and BJP fought the elections together with only one aim—to defeat AAP—but the people rejected both parties in both states.”
