With new entrant Aam Aadmi Party emerging as the single largest party by winning 14 of 35 wards in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC) polls, AAP’s national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said people across the country, including Chandigarh and Punjab, are fed up with old traditional parties, leaders and old-style politics.
People want freedom from corruption, after Delhi, Chandigarh’s election results are a clear example of this. The people have chosen the new party (AAP), new faces, and honest politics by shocking the old ones, Kejriwal said in a statement.
He said the people of Chandigarh had truly performed a miracle in the municipal elections. Defeated many great giants and chose brand new faces. Traditional parties’ thrones were shaken by the defeat of some veterans, including the sitting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) mayor, two former mayors, and the president of the BJP’s youth wing, as people have come to believe in the AAP and its new faces, Kejriwal said.
He said results in Chandigarh had dispelled the myths and misinformation spread by the opposition about the AAP. “I remember when political pundits used to say after the 2017 election results that the Aam Aadmi Party was not supported by the urban voters. But the victory of Chandigarh has proved that this time the urban masses of Punjab will too stand by the AAP with strength and confidence,” he said.
“Today, the entire rural and urban population of Punjab perceives the Aam Aadmi Party as a great hope, as the traditional old parties had disappointed and dismayed people even after repeated opportunities. The whole Punjab wants to change. Like Delhi and Chandigarh, Punjab wants new faces and honest politics,” Kejriwal added. The AAP leader said in honor of the mandate given by the people of Chandigarh, his party would move forward along with other elected candidates, regardless of the party they belong to.
“The aim is to make Chandigarh a beautiful city again and free it from all the problems it is facing today. That is why AAP will develop Chandigarh by making everyone a partner in this process,” he said.
Addressing the people of Chandigarh, Kejriwal said, “I bow to the people of Chandigarh. I salute Chandigarh for revolutionizing like Delhi. I would like to assure the people of Chandigarh that the trust they have shown to AAP will not be allowed to falter, but will be strengthened by meeting all expectations.”