 "Swati Maliwal, Swati, Maliwal")
Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal (Photo: PTI)
As vote counting for the Haryana Assembly elections reached its last leg, it became clear that the Bharatiya Janata Party is all set to secure a record third victory in the state. The Congress was trailing significantly behind the saffron party at 4 pm, leading on 36 seats as opposed to the BJP which was ahead on 49, comfortably clearing the majority mark.
However, a noteworthy point was the dismal performance of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had pitted itself as the significant alternative to the two-party politics. The party wasn’t leading on any seat throughout the counting process.
Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal took the opportunity to criticise AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal following the party’s poor showing in the Haryana assembly elections. “He came to Haryana only to take revenge from Congress. He falsely accused me of being a BJP agent, and today he is betraying the India Alliance and cutting votes of INC!” Maliwal posted on social media platform X.
“Leave aside everything, a candidate was fielded to defeat even Vinesh Phogat. Why has the situation reached such a stage that you are not able to save your deposits in your home state? There is still time, give up your ego, remove the veil from your blurry eyes, stop doing drama and work for the people,” she said.
Maliwal has been locked in a bitter dispute with the AAP since May when she accused Bibhav Kumar, an aide of then-Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, of assaulting her at the CM’s residence.
Kumar, arrested shortly after Maliwal filed an FIR, was granted bail by the Supreme Court last month.
AAP’s performance in Haryana elections
According to the Election Commission, AAP is not leading in any seat and has secured a 1.64 per cent vote share in Haryana, Kejriwal’s home state. The BJP is leading in 49 seats and is poised to retain the state for a third consecutive term. Congress is ahead in 35 seats, with Independents leading in four, while INLD and BSP are each leading in one seat.
AAP contested the elections independently after pre-poll alliance negotiations with Congress broke down. During the campaign, Kejriwal predicted that no government would form without AAP’s support.
“AAP is getting so many seats… I calculated after reaching here. We are getting so many seats that the next government in Haryana cannot be formed without AAP’s support,” he had said.
First Published: Oct 08 2024 | 4:50 PM IST
