Delhi elections 2025: ‘Accept people’s mandate, AAP will play role of constructive opposition’: Arvind Kejriwal after party loss

The party’s two foundational leaders. Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, started with an NGO, Parivartan, only to rise to national prominence through the 2011 anti-corruption movement.

“We will stand with the people in their joys and sorrows… We did not enter politics for power; we see politics as a medium to serve the people… We will continue this work, and in the future as well, we will remain committed to serving the people,” Kejriwal promised.

The AAP’s top-tier leadership, including Kejriwal, Sisodia, Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Satyendar Jain, lost to the BJP’s candidates. Three party heavyweights and ministers — Atishi (Kalkaji), Gopal Rai (Babarpur), and Imran Husain (Ballimaran) — emerged victorious.

As of 4 pm, trends of the Election Commission website showed the BJP leading with 48 seats in the 70-member Assembly and the AAP securing 22.

Atishi, who retained the Kalkaji seat by defeating BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri by a thin margin of 3,521 votes, in a video message on X, said: “I thank the people of Kalkaji for reposing their faith in me. I congratulate my team which worked against muscle power, hooliganism and violence… We accept the mandate of the people of Delhi.”

‘Time for war’

Calling the overall results a setback, she said: “This is the time for war and our fight against the dictatorship and hooliganism of the BJP will continue. This is definitely a setback but the struggle by the Aam Aadmi Party for its people will not stop.”

Durgesh Pathak, who lost to BJP’s Umang Bajaj by a margin of 1,231 votes in Rajinder Nagar, took to social media to share an emotional note. “You allowed a layman like me to serve you for two years. I learnt a lot from you in these two years. I want to thank all the voters and supporters… If there is anything wrong with whatever I did, I apologise. I congratulate BJP workers on their victory and hope they will meet people’s expectations… I am always available for help.”

In the Patparganj constituency, AAP’s new entrant, UPSC educator Avadh Ojha, lost to BJP’s Ravinder Singh Negi by 28,072 votes. Conceding defeat he wrote on X, “This is my personal defeat. The war starts again tomorrow. Heartfelt thanks to all. May your family be happy and children become kings. Jai Hind.”