'Need action, not excuses': Arvind Kejriwal introspects post MCD drubbing
Following the mass exodus and reports of in-fighting within the party, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal struck a note on Saturday by admitting that the party made some crucial mistakes which led to their heavy defeat in the Delhi's civic polls.
Accepting his mistakes, Kejriwal asserted that it's time to get back to work.
In the last 2 days .... pic.twitter.com/0quqxJtNAt
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) April 29, 2017
This admission comes after Kejriwal's defiance post the exit polls predicted a BJP sweep in the civic polls.
He had then said that he would launch a 'movement' if the exit poll results came out to be true.
Even on 26 April afternoon, two of Kejriwal's close aides blamed EVMs for the party's defeat. One of them, labour minister Gopal Rai said that the BJP had won because of an "EVM wave", not because of a 'Modi wave'.
Meanwhile, taking a dig at the AAP, following party member Kumar Vishwas's doubts over Kejriwal, the BJP said, it looks like a civil war going on within the party.
However, BJP leader Shazia Ilmi dubbed Kumar Vishwas as an 'opportunist,' for raising voice post the AAP's defeat in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls and not when similar had happened in the Punjab elections.
Yesterday, in yet another blow to Kejriwal, his aide Vishwas raised doubts about the former's ability to win elections and said the party should do soul-searching for the repeated defeats.
He suggested that the party should consider taking drastic steps, including leadership change, if it wants to remain viable in the political arena.
The AAP leader questioned Kejriwal's defense for losing Punjab elections, Rajouri by-poll, as well as the MCD elections.
He said that Kejriwal's stand on the surgical strikes was wrong.
He blamed the AAP's loss in the Punjab election on the party's wrong decision. He said the party needs 'radical reforms'.
In the recent past, other AAP leaders like Alka Lamba and Kapil Mishra have also been critical of the party's views on the poll debacles.
-ANI
First published: 29 April 2017, 9:14 IST