Arvind Kejriwal, Aam Admi Party (AAP) national convenor, commenced a three-day visit from July 1 to 3 to Gujarat to take part in organisational meetings. He is expected to mobilise support for the party’s newly launched ‘Gujarat Jodo’ membership campaign, which begins in Ahmedabad on July 2 prior to broadening to a state-level campaign.
This follows AAP’s debacle in Delhi assembly election this year and also the recent by-poll win of AAP leader Gopal Italia from Visavadar Assembly constituency in Gujarat, where he received 75,942 votes, whereas BJP candidate Kirit Patel secured 58,388, the Election Commission data showed.
Before departing for Ahmedabad, former Delhi CM Kejriwal said, “I am going to Gujarat today to meet the workers after the victory in Visavadar. There will be a bigger storm of AAP in the 2027 Punjab Assembly elections. In Gujarat, the people have decided to reject both the BJP and the Congress.”
The campaign signals the party’s fresh effort to strengthen its grassroots foothold in Gujarat, a state where the BJP has held political dominance for more than 20 years.
The AAP leadership called the bypoll verdict as Kejriwal’s indication of “powerful comeback” to national politics after he lost his New Delhi seat and failed to form the government in the national capital in election held in February, 2025, PTI reported.
‘Gujarat wants change. Congress sitting in BJP’s lap’
“In the Visavadar by-election, the overwhelming majority with which Aam Aadmi Party secured victory and defeated BJP shows the mood of Gujarat, that people are fed up with BJP, they are angry, and want change. Gujarat wants a change,” ANI quoted Kejriwal as saying.
He added, “BJP ruled here for 30 years because there was no alternative; Congress was sitting in BJP’s lap… Now people have found a good, honest, patriotic alternative. They have decided to bring the Aam Aadmi Party to power.”
Italia credits victory to people
Italia told ANI, “The public contested these elections… I was only a medium. When the people contest the elections themselves, it is confirmed that the results would be historic… The BJP did everything to win these elections… This is people’s win, The people want change in Gujarat… The people have faith in the AAP and its leadership… I thank everyone who was involved in these elections.”
(With inputs from agencies)