By Chandan Singh | Page 3 News Worldwide | New Delhi 

BJP leader targets Kejriwal over candidate selection, alleges AAP is backing leaders facing financial and GST-related accusations

NEW DELHI: Delhi BJP President Harsh Malhotra has predicted a major electoral setback for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections, claiming that the party will be reduced to just nine seats.

Reacting to AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal’s announcement of the party’s candidate list for Punjab, Malhotra accused him of failing to learn from past mistakes and alleged that he continued to support leaders facing corruption-related allegations.

Recalling AAP’s landslide victory in the 2022 Punjab Assembly elections, when the party won 91 of the state’s 117 seats, Malhotra said voters would reverse the outcome in the next election.

“People of Punjab gave AAP a record victory in 2022 by winning 91 out of 117 seats. This time, they will limit AAP to nine seats and create a record of the party’s defeat,” he said.

Malhotra also criticised Kejriwal for allotting a ticket to Sanjeev Arora from Ludhiana, alleging that he was facing accusations in GST evasion cases.

Drawing a parallel with Delhi’s electoral outcome, the BJP leader claimed that voters had rejected Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain, whom he said were facing financial allegations. He predicted that Punjab voters would similarly reject Arora and most AAP MLAs whom he accused of corruption.

Referring to Kejriwal’s remarks about creating another electoral record in 2027, similar to the party’s performance in 2022, Malhotra said Punjab’s voters would instead set a record by delivering a major defeat to AAP.

The allegations against AAP leaders and Sanjeev Arora are attributed to Malhotra’s statements in the press release.