AAP registers historic victory in Delhi polls, BJP trounced; opposition hails it as defeat of 'hate politics'

Arvind Kejriwal led the Aam Aadmi Party to a stupendous victory yet again in the Delhi Assembly polls, dealing a body blow to the main rival BJP and completely decimating the Congress in a keenly-watched battle in the midst of anti-CAA protests.

The 51-year-old bureaucrat-turned-politician almost replicated the AAP's fairy-tale victory of 2015 by riding on his government's development agenda, and in the process emerged as a key leader in the national political landscape.

As AAP was poised to bag 62 out of 70 seats, leaders cutting across party lines including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi (Congress), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Mamata Banerjee (TMC), Naveen Patnaik (BJD) and MK Stalin (DMK) congratulated Kejriwal for the historic victory.

According to latest results, the AAP won in 56 seats and was leading in six others with a total vote share of 53.58 per cent. The BJP recorded victory in seven seats and was ahead in one constituency, receiving 38.49 per cent of the total votes. The Congress could not even manage a single seat and ended with 4.27 per cent vote share.

The AAP's stupendous victory comes nearly eight months after it suffered a severe drubbing in the Lok Sabha polls in which the party drew a blank while the BJP won all the seven seats.

The victory also assumes significance as it came in the face of BJP's no holds barred attack against protesters opposing the Citizenship (Amendement) Act as "supporters of Pakistan" during the bitterly-fought campaign.

"Dilliwalon, ghazab kar diya aapne (Delhiites, you have done the impossible). I love you," Kejriwal, flanked by his wife, daughter and senior party leaders, said in a brief thank you address at the party's headquarters here.

"It is the beginning of new kind of politics today. This is very auspicious message for the country and the politics of work can only take our country to the 21st century," he added.

"It is a victory for Bharat Mata (mother India)," he said as a large number of supporters cheered him.

Later, he visited the famous Hanuman temple near Connaught Place along with his family and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

All AAP heavyweights including Sisodia, Ragav Chaddha and Atishi, Gopal Rai, Satyender Jain emerged victorious.

Modi congratulated Kejriwal for his party's win and wished him "the very best" in fulfilling the aspirations of the people