Child dressed up as Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann
Punjab Election Result 2022: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has swept Punjab. Founded in 2012, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party is all set to form government in second state after Delhi with a massive majority. As per the trends available at 11 AM, AAP was ahead on 89 seats, Congress 13, Akali Dal 9 and BJP on 5 seats in Punjab.
AAP's spectacular show has made it clear that the party is now ready to replace Congress at the national level.
"Had been saying from day 1 that AAP will form govt with absolute majority...Throne of people who ruled Punjab for decades is shaking. In future, Arvind Kejriwal will be BJP's principal challenger, AAP will be Congress' replacement," AAP leader Raghav Chadha told news agency ANI.
Congress' poor show in Punjab had much to do with the infighting which even saw the Grand Old Party replacing its old warhorse Captain Amarinder Singh with Dalit face Charanjit Singh Channi. The Congress' move, however, seems to have fallen flat.
However, Channi elevation failed to end the tussle within the party as a vociferous Navjot Singh Sidhu continued to put forth his desire to be declared as the CM candidate by top leadership. But with Rahul Gandhi annoucing Channi as the CM candidate, Sidhu was left with no other option but to accept the decision and back him.
AAP, that had picked Bhagwant Mann as CM candidate on the basis of a phone-in survey, now has a big task ahead leading a state having international border with Pakistan. In Delhi, the AAP has often complained of not being allowed to work freely by the Centre, it will have now have a full fledged state to rule.
