‘We are positive,’ says Arvind Kejriwal despite exit polls predicting AAP rout in Gujarat

Arvind Kejriwal said even a 10-20 per cent vote share for the AAP, which is contesting in Gujarat for the first time, would be big for the party.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal addresses a press conference, in Surat (PTI)

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Undeterred by Monday’s exit poll results which predicted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would only manage to secure seats in the single digits in Gujarat, the party’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday said he was feeling “positive”. All exit polls predicted the BJP would return to power in the state with a huge margin.

Kejriwal said even a 10-20 per cent vote share for the AAP, which is contesting in the state for the first time, would be big for the party. “We are positive. A new party has entered to contest the elections in a place which is said to be the BJP’s ground. Even 10-20 per cent voteshare will be big for AAP. Let’s wait for the final results,” said at an event in the Vidhan Sabha honouring Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar on his Mahaparivan Diwas.

Pollsters predicted a historic win for the BJP, which is expected to return to power in the state for a seventh consecutive term. For the Congress, the exit poll figures were massively disappointing, as the party could be staring at its worst ever performance in Gujarat.

The exit polls for Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh

While the BJP is set to better its 2017 numbers, AAP is expected to open its account in the state in a small but significant way. Pollsters have predicted the AAP may not even bag 20 seats in the 182-member House.

According to the India Today-Axis My India, the BJP will get 129-151 seats and the Congress between 16 to 30. The AAP, it said, will get 9 to 21 seats.

The Republic-P Marq survey said the BJP will get 128-148 seats, the Congress 30-42 and the AAP 2-10.

The survey by TV9 Gujarati said the BJP will get 125-130 seats, Congress 40-50 seats and the AAP 3-5 seats.

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In Delhi, meanwhile, the AAP is expected to sweep the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) election, defeating the BJP for the first time in 15 years. “I also saw the exit polls yesterday and I thank the people of Delhi for believing in us once again. We are waiting for the final result and hope to sweep MCD as predicted,” Kejriwal said.