AAP swept aside by BJP

New Delhi, April 26 

The BJP today scored a hat-trick in the Delhi civic elections as it comfortably retained control of the three municipal corporations, dealing a severe blow to AAP and dashing Congress’ hopes of a revival.

Winning 181 out of the 270 wards where elections were held, the party added muscle to its decade-long domination of the corporations, bucking anti-incumbency by riding on the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP had won 138 wards in the last elections.

Editorial: Modi wins MCD

Modi expressed his gratitude to the people of Delhi for the BJP’s resounding victory. “I laud the hardwork of team @BJP4Delhi which made the resounding MCD win possible,” he tweeted.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal promised cooperation to the civic bodies and refrained from commenting on the EVMs, the “manipulation” of which he had earlier identified as the reason behind AAP’s string of upsets.

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“I congratulate BJP on their victory in all 3 MCDs. My govt looks forward to working wid MCDs for the betterment of Delhi (sic),” he tweeted, even as he went into a huddle with top leaders of AAP as results trickled in.

The victory is especially sweet for the BJP as it comes two years after it suffered a shock defeat in the Assembly polls with a near-absolute majority catapulting AAP to the national stage.

For AAP, the rout comes after the jolts in the Punjab and Goa Assembly elections and the Rajouri Garden byelection. It has led to murmurs of discontent within the party becoming louder. Calling it a “referendum” on the Kejriwal government, the BJP has sought Kejriwal’s resignation.

The Congress, which was hoping to bounce back in Delhi by putting up a creditable show, finds itself in political wilderness. Ajay Maken, taking responsibility for the poll debacle, today resigned as Delhi Pradesh Congress chief even as former CM Sheila Dikshit claimed the leadership had failed to reach out to the people. The former Delhi Chief Minister said senior leaders, including herself, had been ignored.

“I was not asked to campaign. How then could I have gone for it?” she remarked. — PTI

Opposition stumped

• BJP strategy not to field incumbents helps fight anti-incumbency 
• Deputy CM Manish Sisodia blames ‘EVM wave’ but several AAP leaders disagree
• Swaraj India draws a blank, will introspect, says Yogendra Yadav
• Delhi Cong chief Ajay Maken quits, AAP leader Alka Lamba offers to resign as well
• Six Independents make their presence felt, register win