Sat Feb 08 08:04:43 UTC 2025: ## BJP’s Parvesh Verma Upsets Kejriwal in Stunning Delhi Election Victory
**New Delhi** – In a major upset, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Parvesh Verma has defeated incumbent Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency, ending the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s 11-year reign in the capital. Preliminary results show Verma winning by a margin of approximately 1,200 votes, securing over 25,000 votes. This marks a significant political shift, with Kejriwal suffering his first electoral defeat in Delhi.
Verma, a controversial figure known for his inflammatory rhetoric during the 2020 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests, attributed his victory to the “double-engine government” – a BJP term referring to the party’s control of both the central and state governments. He stated that this collaborative approach will bring Prime Minister Modi’s vision to Delhi.
Kejriwal, who led the AAP to three consecutive victories in Delhi, faced a strong challenge from Verma, who previously served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for West Delhi. Verma’s return to state-level politics after being excluded from the BJP’s 2024 Lok Sabha candidate list proved successful. Congress candidate Sandeep Dikshit, son of former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, also contested the election.
Verma’s campaign was not without controversy. The AAP accused him of orchestrating an attack on Kejriwal and engaging in vote-buying. He also faced charges of violating election rules. His past remarks, including inflammatory statements against minority communities during the CAA protests and calls for a boycott of the Muslim community, have drawn significant criticism. Despite these controversies, his victory signifies a substantial shift in Delhi’s political landscape. The implications of this result for the upcoming Delhi Chief Ministerial elections are yet to be seen.
First Piper 