Delhi CM Candidate Announcement Highlights: 'Kejriwal planning to go to Punjab after Delhi poll defeat,' alleges Swati Maliwal

"They have never done positive politics. The situation in Punjab is much worse than in Delhi. They (AAP) are looting the people of Punjab also," he said.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday dismissed speculation of dissent within AAP's state unit, asserting that Congress leaders have a history of switching parties while AAP leaders remain dedicated. Mann's remarks came after Punjab Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa claimed that over 30 AAP MLAs were in touch with his party.

"Switching sides is Congress' culture," Mann said while addressing media after attending a meeting of Punjab ministers and MLAs with AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal at Kapurthala House in New Delhi.

"They (Congress) talk about others but do not worry about themselves. I will ask Pratap Singh Bajwa how many MLAs they have in Delhi," the Punjab CM charged.

"Bajwa has made such claims for years, let him say it... He should not count our MLAs and instead, see how many MLAs Congress has in Delhi," he said.

"Some people have started treating Punjab as their personal ATM. Today, massive corruption is rampant in Punjab. There is blatant sand mining at different places, corruption is there in transfer postings... People of Punjab and several MLAs are angry on this. Arvind Kejriwal has appointed his goon Bibhav Kumar as the chief advisor of Punjab CM... Ever since Arvind Kejriwal has faced defeat in Delhi, he is planning to go to Punjab to keep his politics alive," she said.

Further attacking Kejriwal she added, "Is the money looted from Punjab now coming to Delhi?.. When Punjab has given the mandate to Arvind Kejriwal, what has he done for Punjab?"

Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Tuesday commented on AAP national Convenor Arvind Kejriwal's meeting with the party MLAs and said that calling a meeting shortly after the elections only showed that the party would break soon.

"The results were declared on February 8 and the movement has already started. Calling a meeting so soon shows that they will break soon. There will be mid-term polls in Punjab. When a party loses, there is a discussion within the state, other states are not called. They are worried that what happened in Delhi may be repeated in Punjab," Singh told ANI.

He added that the condition of Punjab was not good, considering issues like gangsterism and terrorism. Further, he said that there was nothing more shameful than claiming that the water of Yamuna was poisonous.

BJP MP Yogender Chandolia on Tuesday expressed his doubts over the continuation of the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) government in Punjab, stating that it is "very unlikely" that Bhagwant Mann will remain the Chief Minister or that the AAP government will continue in the state.

Chandolia's remark came following AAP's defeat in the recently concluded Delhi Assembly polls, where the AAP conceded a crushing defeat against the BJP, winning just 22 seats out of 70. Meanwhile, BJP won 48 seats.

He further noted that Arvind Kejriwal's control over the Punjab government was weakening.

"The people of Delhi have shattered Arvind Kejriwal's ego... He was running the Punjab government with a remote control. Now, he knows that Punjab MLAs are not satisfied and the CM is also not assured... It is very unlikely that Bhagwant Mann will remain the CM or AAP's government will continue (in Punjab)," Chandolia said.

"A meeting was called to change the CM, but today’s media frames tell a different story. Have you ever seen Bhagwant Mann with his cabinet ministers? He used to speak alone in front of the media. For three years, no minister was ever seen with him in any media frame, but today, there was a large gathering with ministers standing proudly. This photo reveals what’s happening within the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab," he alleged.

Ramdas Athawale, who serves as a Union Minister, expressed on Tuesday that the Aam Aadmi Party faced a significant setback in the Delhi Assembly polls, whilst also predicting the party's impending loss of control in Punjab.

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

He further elaborated that neither farmers nor the underprivileged have received any respite. He suggested that Kejriwal's decision to convene a meeting stemmed from concerns about potential unrest following the Delhi election results, adding, "Punjab will slip away from their hands soon."

BJP MLAs including Anil Sharma, Shikha Roy, Satish Upadhyay, Arvinder Singh Lovely, Vijendra Gupta, Ajay Mahawar, Rekha Gupta, Kapil Mishra, Kulwant Rana and Dr Anil Goyal pay a courtesy call to BJP National President JP Nadda in Parliament.

Punjab legislator Amandeep Kaur Arora responded on Tuesday to the remarks made by Opposition Leader Pratap Singh Bajwa regarding alleged divisions within the Punjab Aam Aadmi Party. She suggested that he should focus on maintaining unity amongst his own party's legislators.

Her comments followed a meeting in the national capital between AAP's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab MLAs, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, after the party's significant loss in the Delhi assembly elections.

"Pratap Singh Bajwa said that our government will not stand for long... He should try and keep the Congress MLAs united," Kaur said speaking to ANI.

Regarding her meeting with AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Kaur indicated that they discussed future planning. "After the elections, every party holds meetings and the further strategy after the elections is discussed..." she further said.

Punjab's Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann responded sharply on Tuesday to Pratap Singh Bajwa's allegations about discord within the Punjab unit of the Aam Aadmi Party. Mann questioned the Congress party's own standing in Delhi, whilst defending his administration's performance.

Mann strongly refuted Bajwa's criticism regarding Punjab's law enforcement situation, asserting that the state's performance surpassed numerous other regions in the country.

"I would ask Pratap Singh Bajwa to count on how many MLAs they have in Delhi. The law and order of Punjab is better than most states... We have to put in extra effort being a border state, and we are doing that..." Mann stated during his media interaction.

Regarding his discussion with the AAP convenor, Mann mentioned that Kejriwal expressed gratitude to the party's MLAs for their electoral efforts.

Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann dismissed Congress's allegations about internal discord within the AAP's state unit, emphasising the unwavering commitment of its leaders and workers.

The statement followed a meeting at Delhi's Kapurthala House, where AAP's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal convened with CM Mann, Punjab ministers and MLAs, addressing speculations about internal disagreements in the party's Punjab unit.

Mann indicated that during the gathering, Kejriwal expressed gratitude to all Punjab ministers and MLAs for their participation in the Delhi Assembly election campaign.

During the meeting between AAP's national convenor and Punjab MLAs, the state's AAP President Aman Arora explained that they discussed strategies to implement the 'Delhi Model' at Punjab's grassroots level.

"We have replicated the Delhi Model in Punjab. We discussed how we can take our model to the grassroots," he told ANI.

Arora mentioned that such gatherings occurred regularly at six to eight-month intervals. "Many leaders of Punjab worked very hard for elections in Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal thanked us for that. Arvind Kejriwal calls us all from Punjab every 6-8 months and holds a meeting..." Arora said whilst speaking to ANI.

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann responded to Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa's claim that 30 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs were in contact with him.

"Pratap Singh Bajwa has been saying this for almost three years. Let him say whatever he wants. I would ask Pratap Singh Bajwa to count how many MLAs they (Congress) have in Delhi," Mann told reporters.

Mann also said, "He (Bajwa) has been making claims earlier also that 20 MLAs or 40 MLAs are in touch with him. Let them say it. We have formed this party with our sweat and blood, going among people in villages and towns in the state."

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann rubbished Congress's claim of dissent in the AAP's state unit, asserting dedication of its leaders and workers. His remarks comes after AAP's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal held a meeting with CM Mann, Punjab ministers and MLAs at Kapurthala House in Delhi today amid rumours of dissent in the party's Punjab unit.

Mann said during the meeting Kejriwal thanked all Punjab ministers and MLAs for campaigning in the Delhi Assembly polls. He further added that Punjab will be presented as a model state of development before the country ahead of the next assembly polls in the state.

After meeting AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, "After the Delhi elections, the Punjab unit of AAP came to Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal thanked everyone. There was a discussion on how to speed up the work in Punjab in the coming 2 years... We will do more work and AAP will expand across the country."

Congress MP Pramod Tiwari dismissed claims of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs being in touch with the BJP and the Congress, stating that their party (Congress) doesn't believe in breaking other parties. However, he asserted that Congress' state leadership is monitoring the political situation in Punjab.

Speaking to ANI, Congress MP Tiwari said, "BJP has a history of horse-trading and breaking parties- we have seen this in Maharashtra, Goa, Manipur also. They will try to do this in Punjab as well. As far as Congress is concerned, we do not believe in breaking parties. Our party's state leadership is monitoring the situation over there."

Tewari said it's a "tragedy" that Delhi has never understood Punjab and unfortunately will never understand Punjab because the state has a different ethos, a different culture, a different syncretism and it ticks to a different beat. He also pointed that Punjab, being a border state, needs to be handled very carefully and the Centre needs to have a 'border policy' for the border states.

"Any political instability in Punjab will have very severe national repercussions. Punjab is a border state. Our western neighbor is always hyperactive in trying to subvert and destroy the peace of Punjab. Therefore, there are certain border states which need to be handled very carefully. The situation in the northeast, Manipur is far from stabilizing and so the Government of India should really concentrate on having a border policy for the border states," Tewari said.

"Delhi has never understood Punjab and unfortunately, Delhi will never understand Punjab because the state has a different ethos, a different culture, a different syncretism and it ticks to a different beat," he added.

Congress MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa says, "The results were declared on February 8 and the movement has already started... Calling a meeting so soon shows that they will break soon. There will be mid-term polls in Punjab... When a party loses, there is a discussion within the state, other states are not called. They are worried that what happened in Delhi may be repeated in Punjab... The condition of Punjab is not okay regarding gangsterism and terrorism."

"The CM of Punjab did not show courage against Khalistan... There cannot be anything more shameful than claiming that the water of Yamuna is poisoned. All of us are drinking the same water. If it were true, they should have filed an FIR against the Haryana Government and sent samples. They also claim that Operation Lotus is going on," he continued.

"If someone offered them Rs. 15 crores, then they should have filed an FIR against that person. Nothing like that happened... It is confirmed that there will be mid-term elections in Punjab, very soon," he added.

Commenting on Arvind Kejriwal's meeting with Punjab MLAs and ministers, Congress MP Gurjit Singh Aujla asserted, "It is his party, he should hold a meeting, but if he is holding a meeting immediately after the defeat then it has a different meaning. He has lost Delhi, so he should call Delhi leaders and brainstorm, but Punjab MLAs have been called."

"Both his models, Punjab and Delhi, have failed. Arvind Kejriwal wants to become the Chief Minister or wants some changes... The people of Punjab are fed up with him, no matter how many meetings he holds, it will not make any difference," he added.

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann Singh has left for Delhi to meet Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal. Kejriwal is set to hold a meeting with the Punjab CM and state MLAs in Delhi following AAP's heavy defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections.

The BJP won the Delhi assembly election by a comfortable margin, winning 48 out of 70 assembly seats. AAP suffered a massive setback, securing only 22 seats--a huge drop from its previous tally of 62 in 2020 polls. With this historic mandate, BJP is returning to power in the national capital after 27 years.

The Congress, which was hoping for a revival in the national capital, again failed to win any seat without any alliance this time. The party, which ruled Delhi for 15 years from 1998, registered a hat-trick zero tally in the assembly polls.

BJP's Parvesh Verma emerged as a giant-killer in the Assembly election with a decisive win of over 4,000 votes over former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi seat. Notably, following the loss in Delhi, Punjab remains the only state being governed by AAP and it is crucial for the party to hold the state unit together.

Punjab MLA and minister Dr Baljit Kaur says, "Kejriwal ji meets the party MLAs regularly. We will discuss how to take the party forward. We worked very hard in Delhi. We will overcome our shortcomings and do better. Why will the party break?"

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal has called Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, ministers and party MLAs to Delhi for deliberations on Tuesday, in a move that was not only seen as aimed at insulating the party’s govt but also termed by rivals as “preparation” for the removal of Mann from the top post.

Though AAP termed the exercise an “organisational meeting” for taking feedback and acknowledging the work done by Mann and Punjab MLAs in the Delhi polls, it intensified speculation about unrest in the party over failure to deliver on its poll promises and growing tensions between Kejriwal and Mann. Stirring the pot, BJP’s Tarun Chugh claimed “countdown for Mann’s govt has started”, while party MLA Majinder Sirsa cautioned the CM on “plans afoot to remove him”.

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal says, "Congress party always tries to work together and to move ahead with consent. This is true that there are problems at times. In the last election in Bihar, Congress were given seats but they could not win and RJD said that they could not come to power because of Congress. All the parties (of INDIA alliance) will have to decide how to contest elections."

"In the BJP, the advantage is that there is a single command and they fight elections under that single command, hence they benefit too. In Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, Congress fought in alliance and they got the benefit. They (INDIA alliance) will have to sit and work things out," he added.

The wheels seem to be coming loose for Congress after the party's dismal show in the Delhi assembly polls. Congress failed to win a single seat, marking its third consecutive zero tally in the Delhi assembly. The results have further deepened the crisis within the Congress, with many leaders questioning the party’s electoral strategy, with calls for urgent introspection and organisational reforms.

Congress MP from Katihar Tariq Anwar called for the party to clarify its "political strategy" and called for fundamental changes in the party's organisation. "Congress needs to clarify its political strategy. They have to decide whether they will do coalition politics or go it alone. Also, it has become necessary to make fundamental changes in the party's organisation," Anwar said in a post on X.

Party leader Rashid Alvi echoed similar sentiments and said that the grand-old party needs to "respect all parties in the INDIA bloc" if they aim to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Delhi's outgoing health minister, Saurabh Bharadwaj, fought back tears as he addressed his supporters after accepting defeat in the Assembly elections. In a heartfelt speech, he said he accepted the loss "in the spirit of sportsmanship." At one point, he turned away from the microphone to compose himself, visibly moved by the emotional reactions of his supporters. Bharadwaj lost to BJP’s Shikha Roy by 3,188 votes, with Roy receiving 49,594 votes and Bharadwaj 46,406. Congress' Garvit Singhvi finished third with just 6,711 votes.

The BJP secured a dominant win, claiming 48 of the 70 seats, while AAP’s seat count plummeted to 22 from 62 in 2020. Congress failed to secure any seats for the third time in a row. Bharadwaj's emotional address, in which he expressed pride in his supporters' hard work, was widely shared on social media.

The shift in Greater Kailash was significant, where Bharadwaj had previously enjoyed decisive victories in 2015 and 2020.

The BJP asserted on Monday that the Delhi Assembly election outcomes demonstrate public rejection of political entities that fail to honour their electoral commitments. "Delhi's verdict is clear. The governments that fail to keep the promises they make in their manifestos are ultimately rejected by people," stated J&K BJP chief spokesperson Sunil Sethi during a press briefing.

According to Sethi, the Delhi poll results prove that voters readily opt for alternatives when commitments remain unmet.

He highlighted that the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir has delivered on 95 commitments from its 2014 manifesto.

"For the past 75 years, the politics of Jammu and Kashmir has deviated from the path of genuine development, leaving the people disillusioned by unkept promises," he stated.

Sethi criticised the National Conference (NC), pointing out their failure to fulfil any of their electoral promises.

"The NC pledged benefits such as free electricity and ration for people. Yet, in just over four months, these promises have not materialized. Clearly, the NC lacks a concrete roadmap to address the needs and aspirations of people," he remarked.

On Monday, the BJP urged Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena to cancel the merger of four government properties with the "Sheesh Mahal" at 6 Flagstaff Road, used by Arvind Kejriwal as his official residence. Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva wrote to the Lt Governor, claiming the bungalow was expanded by merging four properties, and demanded the reversal of this amalgamation. He added that the new BJP government would decide the future use of the bungalow, but the next chief minister would not reside there.

The bungalow, once Kejriwal’s official residence from 2015 until October 2024, faced allegations from the BJP during the Assembly election campaign, accusing him of corruption, including irregularities in its reconstruction and lavish interior design. The BJP also claimed the annexed properties, which spanned over 50,000 square meters, were misused. BJP MLA from Rohini, Vijender Gupta, wrote to the Lt Governor urging action on the issue and requesting an expedited investigation.

For the BJP, winning the Delhi assembly election had always been challenging, even amid the Modi wave. However, 2025 marked a breakthrough as the party ended a 27-year jinx, defeating the AAP with 48 seats in the 70-member assembly. Confident from this victory, the BJP set its sights on West Bengal, where it had struggled in previous elections. Despite a strong performance in 2016 and 2021, the party fell short of expectations, with Mamata Banerjee’s TMC dominating. With Delhi’s win behind them, Bengal BJP leaders now feel more optimistic. Suvendu Adhikari and Sukanta Majumdar expressed confidence that the BJP could win Bengal in 2026, while Amit Malviya claimed Mamata Banerjee was nervous ahead of next year’s elections.

On Delh election results and INDIA alliance, Congress leader Rashid Alvi says, "...If Congress and Aam Aadmi Party had fought Delhi elections together, then BJP could not have won. Congress high command has to decide if we have to go with our allies or contest elections alone. What has happened in Delhi is a matter of worry for the Muslims in Delhi. This election in Delhi has forced them to think that BJP has won the election because of us (Congress). If we have to defeat BJP, we have to respect all parties in the INDIA alliance and also strengthen the alliance and fight elections unitedly..."

Reiterating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks, BJP's winning candidate Vijender Gupta on Monday emphasized that the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) report will be tabled in the first session of the Delhi Assembly.

"In the first session of the Delhi Assembly, we will table the CAG report (over expenses on renovation of chief minister's residence)," Gupta told ANI.

Further, on being asked about BJP's CM face for Delhi, Vijender Gupta said that the party high command will decide on this.

"All 48 MLAs are equal in the eyes of the party and any of them can be the CM," the BJP leader said.

Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha on Monday asserted that Bihar is benefitting from the work of the double-engine government and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will win in the state in the forthwith Assembly polls in a better way than Delhi.

Speaking to ANI, Sanjay Jha emphasised that because of chief minister Nitish Kumar, people have been able to better understand Bihar for the last 20 years.

"He (Tejashwi Yadav) is right that the people of Bihar do not want to go back to the old times. People do not want to go back to the condition of Bihar which was there during his government. Bihar is benefitting from the work of the double-engine government... NDA will win there (Bihar) in a better way than Delhi," the JD(U) MP said.

Aam Aadmi Party MP Malvinder Singh Kang on Monday said that the party accepts the mandate of the Delhi elections but emphasized that their fight will continue. He added that on February 11, party chief Arvind Kejriwal will hold an "organizational meeting" with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann and party leaders to strategize for the future after AAP's defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections.

Speaking to ANI, Kang said, "We accept the mandate of Delhi. We did our best in the last 10 years to make Delhi better and give a good government, and this fight will continue."

On the purpose of the meeting, Kang said, "A party is a continuous process. Feedback from all party units is being taken to form the future strategy... Tomorrow, under the leadership of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, Punjab MLAs will have a meeting with Arvind Kejriwal. It is an organisational meeting to prepare the next strategy."

According to the sources, the meeting will focus on analysing the Delhi election results and preparations for the upcoming Punjab elections in 2027.

Lieutenant governor VK Saxena reportedly told outgoing Delhi chief minister Atishi when she visited Raj Bhawan to submit her resignation that she had lost the Assembly elections because she was "cursed by Yamuna Maiya".

According to sources, when Atishi arrived to submit her resignation at the Raj Niwas, the Delhi LG Saxena reminded her how he had repeatedly cautioned the government on public interest issues, particularly on cleaning of the Yamuna River.

He reportedly told Atishi that the AAP had lost as they were "cursed by Yamuna Maiya" emphasizing that he had despite repeatedly bringing to their notice that such matters concerning the public should not be ignored, the Arvind Kejriwal party-led government had continued to neglect them.

On AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal to meet Punjab leaders on February 11, BJP leader Tarun Chugh said, "The people of Delhi have punished Arvind Kejriwal and 'AAP-da' party for their corruption. Now, the people of Punjab also want to free the state of 'AAP-da'. Punjab wants to get rid of the mafia in the state while the leaders in Delhi are controlling the mafia. BJP is playing a constructive role of opposition in Punjab..."

BJP's winning candidate from Moti Nagar, Harish Khurana, said on Monday that the selection of Delhi's chief minister is the responsibility of the top leadership and the Prime Minister, while his priority remains serving the people of his constituency and addressing its issues.

"In Moti Nagar, the constituency I have won from, there are drinking water and sewage-related issues, and we will work to resolve them. The selection of the Chief Minister is the responsibility of the top leadership and the Prime Minister, so let them handle it," Khurana said while speaking to ANI.

The BJP is set to form a government in Delhi after 27 years, as the party secured an overwhelming two-thirds majority in the assembly polls and ended AAP's over 10-year rule in the national capital.

The last BJP government in Delhi was from 1993 to 1998.

Fresh from it victory in the Delhi assembly elections, BJP members chanted 'Modi, Modi' slogans in the Lok Sabha as the proceedings began on Monday. The sloganeering by the treasury benches continued for a brief while before Speaker Om Birla called for the Question Hour.

Congress member Gaurav Gogoi and Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee were also seen raising some issues.

The BJP returned to power in Delhi after more than 26 years, winning 48 of the 70 assembly seats on Saturday. The AAP won 22 seats while the Congress drew a blank in the polls held on February 5.

After Aam Aadmi Party's defeat in the Delhi polls, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said on Monday that if both parties (Congress and AAP) had sat together, held discussion and made compromises, the BJP might not have secured victory in the national capital.

Addressing a press conference, Raut called on Congress to take everyone along in the INDIA bloc.

"Congress is our senior partner in the INDIA bloc, and everyone working in the alliance believes it is the responsibility of the bigger partner to take everyone along. This responsibility was also on AAP, and discussions should have taken place. But the outcome was that AAP lost power, and Congress gained nothing. Had both parties sat together, engaged in dialogue, and made compromises, the BJP might not have secured victory in the manner it did," Raut said.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader also asserted that everybody is responsible for the defeat in Delhi Assembly election.

"Everybody is responsible for this defeat--AAP is just as accountable as Congress. There should be no ego in alliance politics. Congress, as the elder brother in the alliance, must always fulfill its responsibility with patience and maturity," he said.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener, Arvind Kejriwal, is likely to hold a meeting with Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, state ministers and MLAs in Delhi on February 11.

According to the sources, the meeting will discuss the Delhi election results and preparations for the upcoming Punjab elections in 2027.

This came after the AAP suffered a massive setback, securing only 22 seats--a huge drop from its previous tally of 62 in 2020 polls, while the BJP won a historic mandate on February 8, Saturday, returning to power in the national capital after 27 years by winning 48 seats in the 70-member Delhi assembly.

Earlier on Sunday, Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa claimed that over 30 AAP legislators in Punjab are in touch with the Congress and ready to switch sides.

He also targeted the AAP over Delhi election results and said that the party tasted a humiliating defeat in Delhi.

"With this defeat, a regime of deceitfulness, lies and hollow promises has ended. The AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal once said, "If I am corrupt, people wouldn't vote for me." Now he has lost his own seat. Does that mean that the people of Delhi consider him corrupt?" he said.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister and Shiv Sena head Eknath Shinde has claimed 15 candidates of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had approached him for his party symbol to contest the Delhi polls, but he declined due to "yuti dharma".

The Shiv Sena is a partner of the BJP, which won the just concluded Delhi assembly elections, in the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra.

"A total of 15 AAP candidates had reached out to me. I thought that if the 'bow and arrow' symbol went to them, votes would be split between the BJP and Sena and others would benefit. So I declined," Shinde said at an event in Thane city on Sunday.

The Sena chief said he had to honour "yuti dharma" (coalition commitment).

"I asked my MPs to campaign for the BJP candidates in the Delhi assembly elections," said Shinde, who turned 61 on Sunday.

The Aam Aadmi Party and Congress, both INDIA bloc members, fighting each other contributed to the Bharatiya Janata Party's victory in the Delhi assembly polls, the Shiv Sena (UBT) claimed on Monday. An editorial in the Sena (UBT) mouthpiece 'Saamana' also raised questions over the need for opposition alliances if their constituents continue to fight against each other instead of the BJP.

The BJP swept aside the AAP, winning 48 of the 70 seats in the just-concluded Delhi assembly polls.

The AAP secured only 22 seats, with top leaders like Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia suffering defeats. The Congress drew a blank in the national capital for the third time in a row.

"In Delhi, both AAP and Congress fought to destroy each other, making things easier for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. If this continues, why even form alliances? Just fight to your heart's content!" the editorial in 'Saamana' quipped.

AAP national convenor is expected to meet Punjab MLAs tomorrow as the party is in crisis after poll debacle.

Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy on Sunday said it was the people's responsibility to fight the 'one nation one election' theory proposed by the union government as it will systematically 'damage' democracy. Speaking at the Mathrubhumi International Festival of Letters (MBIFL) here, he said, "One party, one person is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's real agenda and not 'one party one election'. The Centre is slowly trying to take control of states' rights."

He said state elections are more about local issues, which are being dealt with by regional parties in many states. All states should oppose the new move, he urged.

He said that the move to undertake the delimitation of Lok Sabha seats based on the new operational census is yet another step by the Centre to 'sideline' south Indian states.

"It should be opposed as it will damage democracy. Why should the south Indian states be punished for effectively carrying out family planning programme," he asked.

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Rajiv Shukla has reiterated that the INDIA alliance remains united and will collectively strategise for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, despite the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) recent defeat in the Delhi assembly elections.

Speaking on the coalition's approach, Shukla stated, "When the INDIA alliance was formed, it was decided that we would contest the Lok Sabha elections together while allowing state units to make independent decisions regarding local polls. When the Parliamentary elections approach, discussions within the INDIA alliance will resume."

Shukla emphasised that despite different electoral strategies at the state level, the opposition remains cohesive. "We have to assess the next strategy of the parties, but the unity within the opposition remains intact and will continue," he added.

After BJP's win in the Delhi assembly polls, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday stated that defeats are lessons, asserting that the INDIA bloc will gain more strength in the future.

Akhilesh Yadav has campaigned for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidates in the Delhi assembly polls, but AAP suffered a massive setback, securing only 22 seats--a huge drop from its previous tally of 62 in 2020 polls, while the BJP won a historic mandate on Saturday, returning to power in the national capital after 27 years by winning 48 seats in the 70-member Delhi assembly.

"We wanted AAP to win the Delhi elections, but BJP won. In a democracy, we have to accept the people's mandate. Defeat teaches a lot, and in the days to come, the INDIA alliance will gain more strength," the SP chief said.

He also alleged that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) indulged in large-scale rigging in the Milkipur bypolls.