AAP leader Atishi resigned as the Chief Minister of Delhi on Sunday, clearing the way for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form a new government. This marks the BJP's return to power in Delhi after a gap of 27 years. The BJP, however, has not yet announced its chief ministerial candidate. According to a BJP leader, the oath-taking ceremony for the new government will be held after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from his official visit to the United States, which is scheduled for later this week. He is expected to return around February 14 or 15.

Atishi's resignation came after the BJP won the Delhi assembly elections held on February 5. The BJP won 48 out of the 70 seats, giving them a strong majority and replacing AAP as the ruling party. AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, only won 22 seats, while Congress didn't win any seats. This is the third time in a row that Congress has not won a single seat in the Delhi assembly elections.

BJP celebrates victory with rallies and sweet distributions

The day after the BJP won the Delhi elections by a big margin, its winning candidates held rallies in their areas to thank the people. During these rallies, they handed out sweets, cut cakes, and gave speeches to show their appreciation for the voters' support. The rallies were held all over the city, with BJP leaders and candidates thanking the people for their strong support.

The BJP's victory was a big moment, especially since it had been 27 years since they were last in power in Delhi. Now, the BJP has replaced AAP, which had been in charge for the past 10 years. The BJP's win shows that many people were unhappy with the promises AAP made, which some felt were not fully kept during their time in power.

Political leaders react to AAP’s defeat and BJP’s success

Following the election results, various political leaders have weighed in on the developments. BJP President Virendra Sachdeva raised questions about AAP leader Atishi’s celebration, referring to her as the "outgoing" Chief Minister. He asked, "AAP leader and outgoing Delhi CM Atishi should tell why she was dancing yesterday on the loss of Arvind Kejriwal... They still have to give an account of the loot that Arvind Kejriwal and Atishi have done for the past 10 years...".

Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal also criticised Atishi for celebrating after AAP's defeat. She was seen celebrating her victory from the Kalkaji constituency, a result that many found controversial given the overall loss by AAP in the Delhi assembly elections.

In contrast, BJP’s winning candidate from the Bijwasan seat, Kailash Gehlot, expressed the happiness among the people of Delhi after the BJP's victory. Gehlot said that the people of Delhi had given a "fitting response" to the false promises made by AAP during its time in power.

BJP promises to address people’s concerns

BJP leader Vijender Gupta took a strong jibe at AAP for its years of misgovernance in Delhi. He said that AAP had failed to meet its promises, and now the BJP would work to fulfil all the commitments it had made to the people. He assured the people of Delhi, "We will fulfil all the promises made by us to the people of Delhi...I am an MLA, and whatever the party decides, we will follow that.” Gupta also criticised AAP for ignoring the concerns of the people during its rule and highlighted that only now, as the BJP prepared to take over, did AAP realise the importance of proper governance.

On the other hand, AAP’s winning candidate from the Kirari Assembly constituency, Anil Jha, stated that he would play a constructive role in the opposition. He said that while he would oppose the government on some matters, he would also support initiatives that benefit the people. Referring to the BJP’s promise to clean the Yamuna River, Jha sarcastically added, “We will play the role of a positive opposition. Some BJP leaders have said that they will clean the Yamuna River in 5-7 months and then take a dip in the river. We will also support them so that they can take a dip in the Yamuna River.”

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Rajiv Shukla, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, emphasised that the INDIA alliance, despite AAP’s defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections, remains united. Shukla added that the alliance would strategise collectively for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, hoping to put up a strong fight against the BJP.

According to the poll rights body ADR, 31 out of the 70 elected candidates in the eighth Delhi Assembly have declared criminal cases against them. This is lower than the 43 MLAs in the seventh assembly who had similar cases.

The February 5 elections were a significant turning point in Delhi politics, with the BJP's victory marking the end of AAP’s decade-long rule. While AAP secured 22 seats, Congress once again failed to make an impact, leaving the party with no representation in the assembly.

Read: The political history of Delhi: From Congress to AAP to BJP—What changed?