New Delhi: The 2025 Delhi Assembly elections proved to be a turning point in the capital’s political landscape, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staging a massive comeback after 27 years. In a historic mandate, several high-profile leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress suffered shocking defeats, marking the end of an era for some of the capital’s most influential politicians.
Kejriwal’s Shocking Defeat
In what was arguably the most stunning result of the elections, AAP supremo and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lost his New Delhi seat to BJP’s Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma. The defeat marked the fall of a decade-old stronghold, with Kejriwal managing only 25,999 votes against Verma’s 30,088 votes. Congress’ Sandeep Dikshit, son of former CM Sheila Dikshit, finished a distant third with 4,568 votes.
This loss was not just personal for Kejriwal but symbolic of AAP’s crumbling influence in Delhi. The party, which once dominated the capital’s political scene, was now struggling to hold on to its bastions.
Manish Sisodia’s Gamble Fails
Another massive setback for AAP came in Jangpura, where former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia lost to BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah. The contest was closely fought, with Marwah securing 38,859 votes against Sisodia’s 38,184 votes, a margin of just 675 votes.
Sisodia, who previously represented Patparganj, had switched constituencies this election. The move, however, did not work in his favor, and AAP’s Awadh Ojha, who contested from Patparganj in his place, also lost to BJP’s Ravinder Singh Negi by a margin of 28,072 votes.
AAP’s Senior Leaders Face Defeat
AAP faced an electoral bloodbath as several of its senior leaders failed to retain their seats.
Saurabh Bharadwaj (Greater Kailash): Lost to BJP’s Shikha Roy by 3,188 votes.
Satyendar Jain (Shakur Basti): Lost to BJP’s Karnail Singh by over 21,000 votes.
Somnath Bharti (Malviya Nagar): Lost to BJP’s Satish Upadhyay by 2,131 votes.
Rakhi Birla (Madipur): Lost to BJP’s Kailash Gangwal, securing only 10,899 votes.
BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri Falls Short
While the BJP celebrated a landslide victory, it was not without casualties. Senior BJP leader Ramesh Bidhuri, once considered a contender for the CM post, lost in Kalkaji to Delhi CM Atishi by 3,521 votes.
Congress Fails to Make a Comeback
The Congress, which has been struggling in Delhi for over a decade, failed to make any significant impact. Alka Lamba (Kalkaji) and Haroon Yusuf (Ballimaran) both suffered crushing defeats. Lamba secured less than 5,000 votes, while Yusuf lost to AAP’s Imran Hussain, managing only 43,945 votes.
INDIA Bloc’s Failure in Delhi
The INDIA bloc, a coalition of opposition parties including AAP and Congress, suffered a major setback. Despite BJP’s vulnerability in 2024, the bloc failed to capitalize on the momentum. Kejriwal’s legal troubles and AAP’s internal shifts did little to generate a sympathy wave, ultimately leading to BJP’s resurgence.
BJP’s Return
After 27 years in the opposition, the BJP has reclaimed Delhi, ending AAP’s dominance. The results mark a significant shift in Delhi’s political dynamics, raising serious questions about AAP’s future and the INDIA bloc’s ability to counter BJP’s growing influence.