Arvind Kejriwal gives pep talk to Punjab AAP leaders
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann, in his speech, also told the members not to feel disheartened and to work to develop a ‘Punjab model’ of governance and development, the party leaders said.
Days after the party’s crushing defeat in the Delhi assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal gave a pep talk to the party’s lawmakers from Punjab on Tuesday, telling them not to feel demoralised and instead work collectively with a focus on the 2027 assembly elections in their state.
Kejriwal gave this message to chief minister Bhagwant Mann, cabinet ministers, MLAs and MPs from Punjab, the only state where the AAP is now in power, at a meeting held at Kapurthala House in Delhi.
He told them that winning and losing are part of politics, and they should go to their constituencies and double their efforts to deliver on promises made to people to give a push to development in the remaining two years. The MLAs were also told to write to or message him or Mann if they face any issues or have any suggestions for the betterment of people of the state, three party leaders, who attended the meeting, said.
Mann, in his speech, also told the members not to feel disheartened and to work to develop a ‘Punjab model’ of governance and development, the party leaders said.
“Will utilise the expertise of Delhi to make Punjab an example state,” Mann added.
The meeting was called by the AAP national convener in the wake of the Delhi poll debacle to motivate the Punjab leaders who had campaigned extensively for the party. Over 200 state leaders, including Mann, cabinet ministers, MPs, MLAs and state unit office-bearers, had camped in Delhi for weeks during the polls.
Though AAP leaders had claimed before the meeting that the central leaders would take feedback and analyse the election results in the meeting, there was no discussion. Kejriwal, Mann and AAP’s national general secretary, organisation, Sandeep Pathak addressed the meeting that lasted 30 minutes.
A two-time AAP MLA said he (Kejriwal) gave them hala-sheri (encouragement) to go and work in their assembly constituencies. “The meeting has sent a strong signal that there was no threat to our government,” he added.