Trouble for AAP in Punjab? BJP wins big in Sikh-dominated seats in Delhi polls

The BJP’s return to power in Delhi after 27 years has delivered a significant jolt to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), not just in the capital but also raising questions about its stability in Punjab. The BJP’s performance in Sikh-dominated seats in Delhi has sparked fresh speculation about its growing influence beyond the capital, even as Punjab Congress Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa predicts a possible split in AAP’s Punjab unit.

The BJP won three out of four seats with more than 10% Sikh voters in Delhi, including crucial constituencies like Hari Nagar, Rajouri Garden, and Tilak Nagar. This performance is part of the party’s broader sweep, securing 48 of the 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly while reducing AAP to 22. The Congress, meanwhile, failed to open its account for the third consecutive election.

In constituencies with significant Punjabi and Jat populations, the BJP dominated, winning 23 out of 28 seats with more than 10% Punjabi voters and 11 out of 13 seats in Jat-dominated areas. The party also made inroads in slum-dominated areas, winning four of seven such seats, and secured victories in key Purvanchali constituencies like Laxmi Nagar, Sangam Vihar, and Karawal Nagar.

The BJP’s strong showing along the Haryana and Uttar Pradesh borders further solidified its hold on the capital. Out of 22 border constituencies, the party won 16 — nine along the Haryana border and seven near the UP border.

Meanwhile, in Punjab, Bajwa claimed that over 30 AAP MLAs are in touch with Congress and could switch sides. "AAP MLAs have been in touch with me for a long time...There is already a battle between Punjab AAP and Delhi AAP," Bajwa said, adding that Bhagwant Mann could become the "Eknath Shinde" of Punjab.

As BJP consolidates its position in Delhi, the fallout for AAP could extend to its other strongholds, particularly Punjab, where internal tensions seem to be simmering.