Yes, a better result was expected: AAP

May 19, 2016 12:00 am | Updated 05:45 am IST - NEW DELHI:

Satisfactory showing:AAP supporters celebrate outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence.Photo: Sandeep Saxena

Satisfactory showing:AAP supporters celebrate outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence.Photo: Sandeep Saxena

The civic by-polls was “reasonably satisfactory” for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) which had, at least, “expected better” results if not a near-clean sweep à la the Assembly Elections of 2015.

Chief Minister and the party’s national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said the AAP’s win in five of the 13 seats that went to the polls on Sunday, despite its debutant status, was a reaffirmation of the average citizens’ faith in it.

“MCD ruled by BJP-Cong. Outsider AAP wins max seats in byelection. Thnx Delhi for reaffirming faith. Ab MCD election mein sabhi seat jeetni h (Sic.)” Mr. Kejriwal said in a tweet before meeting the victors for a quick photo-op at his residence.

Great expectations

“Local body elections have issues. which are local. AAP will assess the reasons why it could not reach its expectations,” Dilip K. Pandey, who was overseeing the party's by-poll affairs, later told reporters.

Deepak Pandey, the party's spokesperson was in agreement with Mr. Pandey stating that despite AAP candidates having secured the second-largest vote-share at 29.95 percent and the maximum number of seats at 5 out of 13, there was still scope for improvement.

“We have secured seats in what used to be the Bharatiya Janata Party's fort and in a maiden election which was always but a two-way contest between them and the Congress. Yes, a better result was expected; we are sure it will materialise in the general elections to the civic bodies next year,” Mr. Bajpai said.

Tuesday's seat tally was directly proportional to the bargaining power of the local AAP legislator in the future affairs of the four wards in his or her Assembly constituency, a party insider said.

Whom the party chose to field in the general civic polls next year, the source said, would now depend more on an analysis of the votes polled, or not polled, in favour of the candidate fielded at the behest of the local MLA as has been the case this time.

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