"AAP will disintegrate": Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri

New Delhi [India], February 8 (ANI): As the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leads in the Delhi assembly elections, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday lashed out at Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), predicting its "disintegration" over Arvind Kejriwal's monopoly on decision making.
He further accused the AAP of "fooling" people in Delhi during 10 years of their rule.
Speaking to ANI, Puri stated, "They (AAP) tried to fool the people of Delhi for 10 years and did not even give the people what they could have given. AAP will disintegrate in its current form because the control is with Kejriwal. You ask Atishi, how much freedom to make decisions she has."
While speaking on the implication of AAP losing assembly elections in Delhi, the Union Minister further mentioned that the remote control for Punjab would also weaken. Puri added that AAP's defeat in Delhi has paved the way for BJP to come to power in the 2027 Punjab assembly elections.
"The remote control of Punjab from Delhi will weaken and then it will be tested in which direction Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann wants to take the AAP in Punjab. BJP is forming the government in Delhi and we will also come to power in the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections," he remarked.
Asserting that AAP has no future, Puri said that the ruling party in Punjab lost their security deposits in other states where they contested the polls.
"They (AAP) have no future...They had base only in Punjab and Delhi and they lost their security deposits in other states where they contested elections," he added.
Earlier in the day, as the decade year rule of the AAP is set to end in the national capital, former Chief Minister Kejriwal accepted the mandate and congratulated the BJP on their victory, while urging them to fulfill the promises made during the campaign.
The former Chief Minister also highlighted the work done by AAP in the field of health, education, and infrastructure over the past decade, reaffirming that his party would play a "constructive role" in opposition while serving the people.
The BJP is poised to form the government in Delhi after 27 years.
According to the latest update from the Election Commission of India (ECI), BJP is ahead on 48 seats, having won 37 and leading on 11. While, AAP is ahead on 22, having won 17 and leading on five seats. Congress has failed to even open its account in the Delhi elections for the third straight time.
The BJP has won eight seats in the Delhi election results, it includes Shalimar Bagh, Rajouri Garden, Tri Nagar, Rajinder Nagar, Sangam Vihar, Greater Kailash, Patparganj, and Gandhi Nagar.
Meanwhile, AAP has won seats in Kondli, Delhi Cantt, Sultanpur Majra, Sadar Bazar, Chandani Chowk, Ballimaran, Tilak Nagar, Tughlaqabad, and Babarpur.
Polling for the 70-member Assembly was held on February 5, with a total voter turnout recorded at 60.54 per cent. (ANI)