New Delhi: Loud music and beats of dhol reverberated across the Aam Aadmi Party office here which was decked up with colourful balloons as the party romped home victorious in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls on Wednesday.
The AAP won the MCD polls with 134 seats, ending the 15-year rule of the BJP in the prestigious municipal corporation and reducing the Congress to just nine seats in a house of 250.
The BJP, which was predicted to suffer a massive defeat in exit polls, put up a spirited fight, winning 104 municipal wards.
As soon as it became apparent that the party will register its first win in the civic body election, hundreds of workers and supporters along with leaders thronged the AAP office on Rouse Avenue and congratulated each other by distributing sweets.
The AAP headquarters remained abuzz with activities throughout the day following the declaration of results.
As the State Election Commission declared the final results, festivities and euphoria broke out at the AAP office, with a few supporters, donning peculiar attires, revelling in the celebrations and dancing to the party’s official poll song ‘MCD mein Arvind Kejriwal’.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also visited the office with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and thanked the people for AAP’s victory in the MCD polls.
He sought the cooperation of the BJP and the Congress as well as the “blessings” of the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to improve civic amenities here.
The mood at the AAP’s office had been celebratory since morning as songs blared through loudspeakers and the entire premises being decked up with colourful balloons. The famous ‘chotta Kejriwal’, who became a centre of attraction in previous elections, was also spotted at the AAP office.
The young child, whose parents are AAP supporters, was seen sporting a moustache and a black muffler, a pair of spectacles without glasses and an AAP hat.
He also flashed a victory sign for the photographers.
Hoardings reading ‘acche honge 5 saal, MCD mein bhi Kejriwal’ lined the street outside the headquarters.
Just a few metres away from the AAP headquarters, the Delhi Congress office wore a deserted look throughout the day as the party suffered another drubbing in the MCD election.
Despite trailing behind the AAP, the BJP office on Pant Marg was abuzz with activities during the first half of the day. With the result being announced, while many leaders put up bold faces senior party leaders went into a huddle to access the trends.
The BJP Delhi office was also decked up with posters of their senior leaders that included Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, LK Advani and prominent national figures, including Swami Vivekandana, APJ Abdul Kalam and BR Ambedkar.
However, neither were there any celebrations at the party office nor any arrangements were made even though party leaders remained hopeful of winning the polls.
The entire of BJP office where tight security arrangements were made, was decked up in — orange and green.
BJP’s national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla even after 15 years of the BJP rule in MCD, the party has retained its vote share on the basis of its work.
The party’s MP from northeast Delhi Manoj Tiwari thanked the people of Delhi and party workers for showing faith by giving so many seats to the party for the fourth consecutive time.
The BJP’s east Delhi MP Gautam Gambhir also thanked east Delhi and said the BJP will clean the Ghazipur dump yard.
“Thank you east Delhi. We will finish the Ghazipur garbage mountain! Jai Hind!” he tweeted.
