Delhi witnessed a major flip on Saturday as Bharatiya Janata Party wrested the power from Aam Aadmi Party making a comeback in the national capital after 27 years. However, what remained the same was Congress drawing a blank, scoring a hat-trick this time.
The grand old party that ruled Delhi for 15 years till 2013, under the leadership of late Shiela Dikshit failed to secure a single seat this time, drawing a blank for consecutive third time.
With counting underway, the saffron party has already made a huge stride nearing half-century cornering AAP to just 21 seats.
However, Congress -- which did not contest the polls in alliance with AAP -- failed to open its account.
In the previous assembly elections in 2020, 2015, and 2014 too, Congress was left biting dust while AAP made a significant victory in the national capital.
Congress MP and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said the party "humbly accept the mandate" of Delhi and said the fight against pollution, inflation, and corruption will continue.
"We humbly accept the mandate of Delhi. Heartfelt thanks to all the Congress workers of the state for their dedication and all the voters for their support," Gandhi said in a post on X. "This fight for the progress of Delhi and the rights of Delhiites – against pollution, inflation and corruption – will continue," he added.
However, the party tried to shift the focus from its defeat to defeat of Arvind Kejriwal saying BJP's victory is not a vindication of Prime Minister's Narendra Modi's policies but a referendum on Arvind Kejriwal and AAP.
It also asserted that it would form a government in the national capital in 2030.
"After all, at the height of the prime minister's popularity in 2015 and 2020, AAP had won decisively in Delhi. This shows that, rather than being vindication of the policies of the prime minister, this vote is a rejection of Arvind Kejriwal's politics of deceit, deception, and vastly exaggerated claims of achievement," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.