After Delhi Heartbreak, Bypoll Wins Lift AAP's Spirits; Kejriwal Predicts Sweep In Punjab & Gujarat

Last Updated:June 25, 2025, 20:26 IST

AAP regained momentum with bypoll wins in Punjab and Gujarat after losing Delhi. Leaders celebrated at Kapurthala House, calling it a turning point.

Kejriwal congratulated Gopal Italia, who won in Gujarat and Sanjeev Arora, who emerged victorious from Ludhiana West, and thanked the people for ensuring the party's win.  (Photo: PTI file)

After its recent electoral setback in Delhi, where it lost control of the Capital after nearly a decade in power, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has found renewed momentum with bypoll victories in Punjab and Gujarat.

Once seen as a Delhi-centric outfit, the party has steadily expanded its footprint over the years, forming a government in Punjab and opening its account in states like Gujarat– long considered BJP strongholds.

The latest wins — in Ludhiana West (Punjab) and Visavadar (Gujarat) — have come as a morale booster for the AAP cadre, who see them as signs of public endorsement amid political headwinds.

On Wednesday, senior leaders gathered at Kapurthala House in Delhi, the official residence of the Punjab Chief Minister, to celebrate the victories. Those in attendance included AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Manish Sisodia, Gopal Rai, and Atishi.

In Delhi, the BJP ended AAP’s 10-year reign, winning 48 out of 70 seats in the capital in the assembly election held in February this year.

AAP Bypoll Wins

The AAP retained the Ludhiana West seat with its candidate Sanjeev Arora registering a victory against his nearest rival and Congress candidate Bharat Bhushan Ashu by a margin of 10,637 votes.

Arora secured 35,179 votes while Ashu got 24,542 votes. BJP’s Jiwan Gupta polled 20,323 votes while Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) nominee Parupkar Singh Ghuman received 8,203 votes. Ghuman lost his security deposit.

The bypoll — held on June 19 — was necessitated following the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January. The result was announced on Monday.

AAP candidate Gopal Italia won the Visavadar seat in Gujarat, defeating his closest BJP rival by about 17,000 votes. AAP’s Bhupendra Bhayani won the Visavadar seat, but he later defected to the BJP.

Bypoll Victories Were Semifinals For 2027 Assembly Polls In Punjab, Gujarat: Kejriwal

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed the Aam Aadmi Party’s victories in the Punjab and Gujarat bypolls as a “semifinal" for the 2027 assembly elections, asserting that the party is on track to form the next governments in both states.

“The bypolls in Gujarat and Punjab were a semifinal, and in 2027 assembly polls, we will cross 100 seats in Punjab and form the government," he said.

Kejriwal congratulated Gopal Italia, who won in Gujarat and Sanjeev Arora, who emerged victorious from Ludhiana West, and thanked the people for ensuring the party’s win.

“We have been in power in Punjab for the last three years. Leave anti-incumbency, there is pro-incumbency there. We had won 92 seats in the 2022 assembly polls, and it looks like we will cross 100 seats in 2027," he added.

The AAP chief said the Congress top leadership is hand in glove with the BJP. “AAP is fighting against the system. We have come to give clean politics to people. People are fed up of BJP in Gujarat. They did not have an option earlier. Congress is not an option. They see an option in AAP and have hope from the party," he said.

“We will form the government in Gujarat in 2027," Kejriwal said.

(With PTI inputs)

News politics After Delhi Heartbreak, Bypoll Wins Lift AAP's Spirits; Kejriwal Predicts Sweep In Punjab & Gujarat