Memes mock Kejriwal as voters reject AAP; party fails to win single seat in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday secured comprehensive wins in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh state assembly elections, which revolves around the appeal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the governance agenda. This has effectively dashed Congress' aspirations for a resurgence in the Hindi heartland. Although the grand old party bagged a win in Telangana, BJP's sweep has reinforced the perception that the ruling party is positioned as the front-runner to secure power for a third consecutive term in the upcoming 2024 elections.

Also read: Gearing up for hat-trick in 2024: How state polls results show 'Modi magic' remains strong in Hindi heartland

Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had the Chief Ministers of Delhi and Punjab campaigning for it in these elections, participated in the assembly elections in three out of the five states—Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. However, AAP did not field any candidates in Mizoram and Telangana.

In the Rajasthan assembly elections, AAP presented 85 candidates, fielding 66 candidates in Madhya Pradesh, and 54 candidates in Chhattisgarh. With a total of 205 candidates across the three states, none of them secured a victory, and a majority ended up losing their deposits.

Significantly, AAP's prominent leaders, Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann, played an active role in campaigning for these state elections. Delhi Chief Minister and party supremo Arvind Kejriwal went as far as skipping Enforcement Directorate's summons, emphasizing the importance of his participation in the campaign. During their campaigning efforts, Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann highlighted the purported "progress" in education and health in these states. Despite their claims, voters did not align with the party's narrative, resulting in AAP failing to secure any seats in all three states.

AAP has been making concerted efforts to extend its influence beyond its traditional strongholds. From Goa to Gujarat, the party has attempted to make inroads but faced significant setbacks. In Chhattisgarh, AAP garnered a vote share of only 0.94 percent. Similarly, in Rajasthan, the party secured a meager vote share of 0.37 percent, and in Madhya Pradesh, it managed to receive only 0.44 percent of the votes.

This isn't the initial instance of AAP forfeiting deposits in assembly elections. In December 2022, the party lost deposits in all 67 seats in Himachal Pradesh. In Gujarat, despite winning five seats, AAP lost deposits in 126 seats. Likewise, the party experienced a loss of deposits across all seats in the Karnataka Assembly Elections in May 2023.

Here's a look at how netizens mocked AAP for failing to win a single seat in 3 states and Arvind Kejriwal, who missed ED summons in the Delhi policy excise case to campaign for the assembly polls.

As the BJP secured victories in three out of the four contested states, the saffron party will now independently govern in 12 states. Meanwhile, the Congress, the second-largest national party, faces a reduction to three states following its losses in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The AAP with its government in Delhi and Punjab, is third among national parties.

The BJP, holding power at the central level, currently governs states such as Uttarakhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Goa, Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and regained Madhya Pradesh while securing victories in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, as indicated by Sunday's vote count.

Furthermore, the BJP participates in the ruling coalition in Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Nagaland, and Sikkim.

Also read: 'North-South Divide' jibe: Congress just shot itself in the foot again

On the other hand, the Congress will have individual authority in three states—Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, and Telangana, where it triumphed on Sunday, surpassing its primary competitor, the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

The Congress also contributes to the ruling coalition in Bihar and Jharkhand and aligns with the DMK, which governs Tamil Nadu, although it is not formally part of the state government.