Sat Feb 08 06:25:47 UTC 2025: ## Congress Suffers Third Consecutive Delhi Defeat as AAP Appears Short of Hat-Trick
**New Delhi** – Three hours into the vote count, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is projected to fall short of a third consecutive victory in the Delhi Assembly elections, while the Indian National Congress (Congress) is on track for a humiliating hat-trick of its own – a third consecutive election without winning a single seat. Preliminary results show the Congress failing to secure even a single lead in any of the 70 constituencies.
This latest defeat follows similar losses in Haryana and Maharashtra, adding to the party’s growing woes. The Congress, which contested the elections solo after its alliance with AAP dissolved, has blamed AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal’s leadership style for the breakdown in their relationship. AAP, in turn, accused the Congress of aligning itself with the rhetoric of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The Congress’s poor showing in Delhi, where it held power until 2013 under Sheila Dikshit, is particularly stark. From 43 seats in 2008, the party’s performance has steadily declined, culminating in a complete shutout since 2015. The party’s struggles are further amplified by its weakening position within the INDIA opposition bloc, with other key parties like the Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress openly supporting AAP in the recent elections. This Delhi setback is expected to intensify calls for a leadership change within the Congress.
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