AAP Flops in Punjab and Goa, But Is There a Silver Lining?
Early in the morning on March 11, shortly after counting was underway, the Aam Aadmi Party leadership were forced to confront the likelihood of defeat in Punjab. Ashutosh, the party’s national spokesperson, watched the disaster unfold alongside Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. “We’re still in the process,” Ashutosh said on the phone a day later, “of trying to review the situation.” It was a careful rationalisation of what, he admitted, had been a deflating, chastening 48 hours.
Kejriwal’s house, festooned with tricolor balloons and LED screens, was ready to host a party. Crowds began to gather outside but just as rapidly dispersed. AAP won 20 out of 117 seats; throw in an extra two from the Lok Insaaf Party and AAP will have 22 seats in the Punjab assembly, 55 fewer than the Congress, led by Amarinder Singh, and just four more than the reviled Akali Dal-BJP alliance. Most exit polls—barring the India today-Axis poll which predicted up to 71 seats for the Congress—suggested a photo finish. On India Today television, a bullish Raghav Chadha, the young party treasurer and spokesperson, said he would “leave politics” if AAP won fewer than 85 seats in Punjab. Unsurprisingly, Chadha did not respond to a request for comment.
WHERE NOW FOR AAP?
This story is from the March 27, 2017 edition of India Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 27, 2017 edition of India Today.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Digvijaya's Last Stand
Digvijaya Singh makes a comeback to the Rajgarh Lok Sabha constituency after 33 years as the Congress candidate, employing a grassroots-style campaign. The contest is expected to be fierce
RECLAIMING THE CITADEL
After a defeat in the previous election, Jyotiraditya Scindia is determined to win back Guna, once his family pocket borough
THE MAYA TWISTER
BSP chief Mayawati's allotment of seats keeping in mind sundry caste configurations could disrupt the plans of the NDA and INDIA alliances in Uttar Pradesh
THE BIG BATTLE FOR SURVIVAL
THE REGIONAL SATRAPS OF MAHARASHTRA, BENGAL AND BIHAR COULD STAND BETWEEN PM MODI AND HIS PLACE IN HISTORY, BUT IF THEY FAIL TO DEFEAT HIM, THEY MIGHT FIND THEMSELVES IN ITS DUSTBIN
Falling Back On Ram
It’s not new from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by ‘Ram bhakt’ Arvind Kejriwal, but worth noting because god is in the details. It was Ram Navami on April 17.
Congress 'EQ' Vs BJP ‘IQ'
Team Modi Is Riding On Its Assembly Poll Momentum, But The Congress's Clever Candidate Mix May Prevent A Washout
The Macallan M 2023 debuts in India
Standing as a pinnacle of exclusivity, The Macallan M 2023 graces the shores of India with limited 10 handpicked bottles for whisky aficionados
Give it up for the science bros
They've got brains, brawn and billions in the bank. A new breed of wellness guru is doing for men what Gwyneth Paltrow did for women.
LIVING BY THE RULES
Chetan Bhagat returns to non-fiction with his new book-11 Rules for Life
The Mysterious City
Anuradha Kumar's The Kidnapping of Mark Twain paints an intriguing portrait of Bombay around the time of the American writer's visit