Bypoll drubbing: AAP says people upset over MLA quitting; BJP claims it is 'the beginning of the end'

NEW DELHI: In a rude shock to the ruling AAP ahead of the crucial MCD polls, the party on Thursday suffered a humiliating drubbing in the Rajouri Garden bypoll, prompting the BJP to say that it is "the beginning of the end" for the ruling party in the city.
The BJP-Akali Dal alliance candidate, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, defeated the Congress's Meenakshi Chandela by 14,652 votes, while the AAP candidate lost his security in the triangular contest.
AAP's vote share declined to 13 per cent as against 47 per cent in 2015 Assembly polls and the party was relegated to the third position after the Congress.
AAP candidate Harjeet Singh polled 10,243 votes as compared to his BJP rival Majinder Singh Sirsa, who got 40,602 votes.
Senior party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia attributed the defeat to its ex MLA Jarnail Singh, who quit as legislator to contest from Punjab against its former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from Lambi and said people were "upset" over this.
However, there was no word from Delhi Chief Arvind Kejriwal on party's defeat.
"There was anger among people after Jarnail (Singh) went to Punjab. We tried convincing them but with the results we are realising that people were not convinced and remained upset," Sisodia said.
The Delhi BJP, meanwhile, sought Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's resignation on moral grounds, saying this is the "beginning of the end" for Aam Aadmi Party in the city.
The BJP dubbed its victory as a reflection of the "Modi wave" and exuded hope of sweeping the MCD polls in national capital by a two-third majority.
The party said the bypoll was the semifinal of the April 23 MCD election where the people of Delhi will also reject AAP which has "failed" to deliver good governance in the city.
Addressing a press conference, BJP national vice-president and party's Delhi unit in charge Shyam Jaju said Delhiites will teach a lesson to the Aam Aadmi Party in the upcoming MCD election in a similar way the people of Rajouri Garden did in the bypoll.
"People are sad with AAP's performance in Delhi. Kejriwal only does politics of lies and people cannot accept it," he said.
BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma said that after the "humiliating" defeat in the bypoll, Kejriwal should give his resignation on moral grounds as his party has been completely "rejected" by the people in this election
"This is the beginning of the end of AAP government in Delhi," Verma, an MP from West Delhi, said.
Verma claimed that in the bypoll of Rajouri Garden, all sections of society, including in posh areas, JJ clusters, Muslims, Sikhs and Punjabis, have supported the BJP.
"By-elections all over the country have proved high Modi wave. The day is marked as Loktantra Vijay Diwas in Delhi as people have strongly rejected a fascist, Tughlaqi ruler Kejriwal," Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari said, heaping praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.