AAP’s Loss Shocked Delhi, Budget Tax Rebate Changed Voters’ Mind: Gopal Rai On Poll Debacle

Last Updated:February 20, 2025, 07:00 IST

“It is happening for the first time in history that cards are being distributed without knowing who will take the oath," says Gopal Rai on BJP's Delhi government swearing-in ceremony

The AAP has been attacking the BJP for its inability to decide the CM face. (PTI File)

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Gopal Rai said that the Delhi assembly poll loss was shocking as not just his party, but the entire city believed that while the seats may reduce, party chief Arvind Kejriwal would return to form the government.

Ending the party’s 10-year reign, the BJP secured 48 seats with 43.23 lakh votes (45.6%) and the AAP got 22 seats with 49.74 lakh votes (43.6%). The votes bagged by the BJP in 2020 were 35.75 lakh and the AAP stood at 41.33 lakh.

“At the last moment, things changed. There was a huge misuse of power, authority and money towards the end. This resulted in both fear and greed among voters. There was no necessary action on the complaints that were filed against these issues," he said.

Rai also said that as they won the assembly polls in Delhi three times in a row, it was expected that the seats would drop this time. “But we were forming the government, it was sure (from the feedback)," he said.

Rai went on to say that in the post-result analysis, they are getting to know that the middle class, that used to vote for the AAP in assembly and for the BJP in the Lok Sabha, switched back to the BJP after the union budget offered tax rebates. “We will do a detailed seat-wise analysis in the coming days," Rai said.

He explained that the loss may look bigger in terms of seats won by the BJP, but the voter share shows “our great fight". “Everything changed in the last three-four days which resulted in the switching of voters," Rai went on to say.

‘BOTH ROLES ARE CHALLENGING, HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES’

Rai said both the roles – of running the government and being in the opposition – have challenges. It is the first time that the AAP will be sitting in the opposition in Delhi.

“We got a responsibility from the public to ensure that they get their rights and the policies are framed keeping everyone in mind. We will do that as the opposition," Rai said.

On being asked how the party is dealing with the result, Rai said elections are just fights where victory or loss is common. “The BJP waited for 27 years to get this result. The public will ultimately decide who will get what. All we can do is fulfil that responsibility with honesty."

‘INVITATION CARDS WITHOUT CM NAME IS HISTORIC’

Over the last couple of days, after results were declared on February 8, the AAP has been attacking the BJP for its inability to decide the CM face.

On Wednesday morning, when the invitation cards were distributed for the oath ceremony of the chief minister, Rai, while talking to News18, called it a “historic move" as no one knows who will take the oath.

Rai said this is happening for the first time in the history that cards are distributed but no one knows who will take the oath. “It is happening for the first time in history that cards are being distributed without knowing who will take the oath. If they needed more time to select the chief minister, they should have waited for a few more days rather than making a mockery of the tradition," Rai said.

The former cabinet minister said there is a certain decorum that has to be followed and the BJP is not a new party that is not aware of the rules that are followed by all parties.

The process, he explained, is that first the elected MLAs of the biggest party meet and elect their leader, who becomes the chief minister. Then the CM-face goes to the LG or Governor and shows his strength and ability to form a government.

After approval from them, a date is decided. “But for the first time, cards were distributed, people were invited, but no one knows who will be the CM," he said.

Rai also said that this selection was not an internal party election of the BJP. “The entire city and country is waiting for so many days. Everyone will be impacted by the CM. People are asking questions as they want to know who will be the CM. This is not just an internal matter of a party," Rai said.

Late in the evening, the BJP announced Rekha Gupta as the CM-elect, while the oath-taking ceremony is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

News politics AAP’s Loss Shocked Delhi, Budget Tax Rebate Changed Voters’ Mind: Gopal Rai On Poll Debacle