Never be overconfident, says Arvind Kejriwal as AAP draws blank in Haryana

Arvind Kejriwal, reacting to AAP's poor performance in the Haryana Assembly elections where the BJP is poised for a third-term victory, said the "biggest lesson" is to never be overconfident in elections.

In Short

• AAP fails to win any seats in Haryana Assembly election
• BJP leads in Haryana with 50 seats, Congress gets 35
• Arvind Kejriwal says each election and each seat is tough

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal, commenting on his party's poor performance in Haryana Assembly elections, said on Tuesday that the "biggest lesson" from this poll outcome is that one should never be "overconfident" in elections.

As the counting continues in Haryana, the BJP is likely to return to power for the third time in the state as it leads in 50 seats in the 90-member assembly, while Congress was limited to 35 seats. The AAP drew a blank in the crucial polls.

"Let us see what the results are in Haryana. The biggest lesson from this is that one should never be overconfident in elections. No election should be taken lightly. Each election and each seat is tough," the former Delhi Chief Minister said while addressing an event for AAP municipal councillors in New Delhi.

Congress was hoping for a comeback in the assembly elections after 10 years, and the exit polls had hinted at the same. However, the BJP emerged victorious, upsetting the grand old party’s power prospects.

The AAP had held pre-poll discussions with Congress to form an alliance in the state. However, the talks failed over disagreements on seat sharing. The party, which is in power in Delhi and Punjab, contested 89 seats alone and managed to garner just 1.53 percent of the total votes polled.

Commenting on the results, AAP MP Sanjay Singh said that the party, "will review the Haryana election results... AAP is expanding as a national party in the country," without elaborating further.

Following Kejriwal’s release on bail in the Delhi liquor policy case on September 13, the party tried to strike an emotional chord with voters in Haryana, attempting to present him as the 'son of the soil'.

Kejriwal himself had asserted that the party would emerge as a kingmaker in Haryana, saying no government would be formed in the state without the AAP's support. However, AAP’s poll strategies appear to have failed, as indicated by the election result trends.