Union minister Athawale says AAP's Delhi defeat signals future Punjab loss

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale stated that the AAP's defeat in the Delhi elections is a significant setback, predicting a loss of Punjab for the party.

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Tuesday said that defeat in the Delhi Assembly election was a huge shock to the Aam Aadmi Party, adding that Punjab will slip away from the AAP's hands.

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale stated on Tuesday that the Aam Aadmi Party was shocked by the Delhi Assembly election loss and that Punjab will be lost to the AAP.(PTI)

"The defeat of Delhi is a huge shock for Arvind Kejriwal. The condition of Punjab is also not well," Athawale told ANI.

"The farmers and the poor have no relief. Looking at the Delhi elections, Arvind Kejriwal thinks that there may be some disturbance and that is why he may have called the meeting. Punjab will slip away from their hands soon," he added.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP MLAs from the state met Kejriwal in the national capital on Tuesday.

After the meeting, Mann said that Kejriwal thanked the MLAs for their work in the Delhi elections.

Reacting to TMC's decision to contest West Bengal assembly elections independently, Athawale said that INDIA bloc is in a broken stage.

"They were in alliance in 2024 but Mamata's TMC will contest 2026 assembly elections independently. That is right because there is no more Congress left... The INDIA Alliance is broken and we think that our way is clear for the 2029 elections... The people have faith in PM Modi," the Union Minister said.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday stated that the Trinamool leader had always contested "independently," be it the Lok Sabha or the State Assembly.

During a press conference in the national capital, the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP said that despite this decision of Banerjee to cut ties with the INDIA bloc in the state, she should continue to have "dialogue" with the Congress as the party is a big part of the alliance.

"Mamata Banerjee has always fought independently--be it Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha. Congress is a big part of the INDIA alliance and she should always continue to have dialogue with Congress," Raut said.

Speaking on the meeting between Punjab AAP MLAs and party leader Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi following the loss in the recently concluded Delhi polls, Raut said it is an internal matter for the AAP to handle.

"AAP is governing Punjab and the party high command is in Delhi. What's wrong with calling a party meeting to work on strategies for the betterment of the party? What's wrong with it? It's their party's internal matter," he added. (ANI)