NEW DELHI, Feb 8: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday conceded defeat in the Delhi elections, taking responsibility for his party’s loss to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In a video posted on X, Kejriwal expressed his acceptance of the mandate of the people of Delhi and congratulated the BJP for securing a majority in the national capital.

“We accept the mandate of the people with great humility. I congratulate the BJP for this victory and I hope they will fulfil all the promises for which people have voted them,” Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal highlighted the achievements of the AAP during its two-term tenure in Delhi, noting improvements in health, education, and infrastructure. He pledged that the AAP would continue to serve the people of Delhi as a constructive opposition.

“We have done a lot of work in the field of health, education, and infrastructure in the last 10 years. We will not only play the role of a constructive opposition but will also remain among the people and continue to serve them,” Kejriwal added.

BJP Makes Historic Comeback in Delhi

Meanwhile, the BJP celebrated a historic victory in Delhi, marking its return to power in the national capital after over 26 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised that the new BJP government would ensure all-round development for the city. As the election results came in, BJP supporters erupted in celebration outside the party’s Delhi headquarters, dancing to the beats of ‘dhol’ and waving BJP flags.

The sweeping mandate signaled a major political shift in the national capital, as the BJP secured a significant victory.

In one of the high-profile contests, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal was defeated in the New Delhi seat by BJP’s Parvesh Verma, losing by more than 3,000 votes. Senior AAP leader and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia also conceded defeat in Jangpura, offering his congratulations to the winning candidate and expressing hope that the BJP would focus on the welfare of the people in the constituency.

In Kalkaji, AAP’s Chief Ministerial candidate Atishi emerged victorious against BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri. Bidhuri, in response, expressed confidence that the BJP would secure a decisive mandate. “Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Delhi will progress alongside the rest of the country. I can confidently say that AAP will be eliminated from the national capital,” he remarked.

As the counting progressed, early trends showed a significant lead for the BJP. Candidates like Mohan Singh Bisht in Mustafabad and Kapil Mishra in Karawal Nagar were holding substantial leads. AAP candidates, including Amantullah Khan in Okhla and Imran Hussain in Ballimaran, also performed well in their respective constituencies.

BJP’s Virendra Sachdeva commented on the trends, saying, “The results so far are in line with our expectations, but we will wait for the final outcome.”

The festive atmosphere continued as the day progressed, with BJP supporters waving flags, dancing, and smearing each other with saffron-colored powder, signaling the likely return of the BJP to power in Delhi after more than two decades.