The Delhi assembly election was the first poll the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fought under the leadership of its new president Jagat Prakash Nadda.
But despite a high-voltage, hyper-nationalistic campaign the party was badly thrashed and was unable to even raise its tally of seats to double figures.
By the afternoon, Nadda took to Twitter to acknowledge the electoral hammering.
“BJP accepts the mandate of the people. We will play our role as a constructive opposition & raise public issues in the assembly. I congratulate Arvind Kejriwal, his party and hope that his govt will work for the development of the state,” Nadda tweeted.
Nadda who was appointed the BJP’s working president in June last year, formally took over as the part chief last month.
The BJP which went out of power in Delhi 1998, had pinned much hope on regaining the capital. One of the party’s internal polls had even claimed the party’s fortunes in the Delhi assembly elections were on the rise that would give them at least 30-35 of the 70 seats in the Capital.
Although the BJP rank and file had projected a decisive victory for the party, the exit polls on Saturday had given the ruling AAP a comfortable victory.
On Tuesday, it turned out that the exit polls were right leaving the BJP with another five-year wait before the next shot at power in the capital.
