AAP seen drawing blank as Haryana vote count progresses
Despite a high-profile campaign and projecting Arvind Kejriwal as a "son of the soil," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is set to draw a blank in the Haryana state elections. As of 11:00am on Tuesday, the party had managed to secure just 1.53% of votes, according to Election Commission data. The AAP contested 89 out of 90 seats in Haryana after failing to ally with the Congress.
Kejriwal's absence and late campaign entry impact AAP
The AAP's campaign was mostly affected by the absence of its star campaigner, Kejriwal, ahead of the polls. However, after he was released on bail in a Delhi liquor policy case on September 13, the party's campaign picked up pace. Kejriwal held his first roadshow in Haryana on September 20, less than three weeks ahead of polling day. This late entry seems to have been too little, too late.
AAP's history of electoral losses in Haryana
Notably, the AAP has a history of losing in Haryana. In 2019, the party lost all 46 seats it contested and had a vote share lower than NOTA (None Of The Above). Since its poll debut in 2014, AAP has failed to win any Assembly elections or Lok Sabha polls in Haryana.
