"BJP Defamed Us After 3 Consecutive Election Wins": Sanjay Singh at The Conclave

Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh spoke candidly about the party’s journey in Delhi while speaking at the concluding session of the Day 1 of the Pratidin Conclave 2025. He reflected on the party's rise, electoral challenges, and ongoing work in Punjab.

The Moderator of the session Rishi Baruah, Director Pratidin Media Network, asked about what happened that Delhi slipped out from their hands even after being in power for ten years. 

Sanjay Singh said the AAP was formed as a people’s movement. “When we campaigned in Delhi initially, many people would joke that they had never even heard of AAP. But Kejriwal ji worked tirelessly for the party. Our agenda was rooted in genuine issues faced by the people. Over the past ten years, we achieved a lot,” he said.

He recalled the party’s landslide victory in 2015, saying, “PM Modi had won by a large margin in states like Jharkhand, Haryana, and Maharashtra. He even publicly insulted Kejriwal, calling him a naxal who should be sent to the jungles. I said then that it is the people who decide who will rule and who will go to jail. The people of Delhi gave AAP 67 out of 70 seats, sent Kejriwal to the Rajya Sabha, and left only three seats for the BJP. In a democracy, this was the real power of AAP.”

Singh highlighted the party’s achievements over the past decade, emphasizing its focus on public welfare and services. “We were the first party to provide free water, free electricity, free education, and free medical services. We established world-class government schools with swimming pools and sports facilities. Over ten years, we gave Delhi’s children quality education and transformed public services,” he said.

Addressing the reasons behind certain electoral setbacks, Singh blamed the BJP's strategies. “We won in 2013, 2015, and 2020. The BJP began to fear that we could not be removed from power. They resorted to religion-based politics, which was never part of our approach, and designed strategies to stop us forcefully. Many of our leaders, including myself, were jailed. In Kejriwal’s constituency in Delhi, over 42,000 votes were cut even before the elections began. They used a two-pronged strategy: defamed us with fake allegations and manipulated votes.”

When asked why in thirteen years of governance, the AAP could not win a single Lok Sabha seat, Singh said, “In Delhi, there has been a consistent trend over the last three elections: people vote for BJP in the Lok Sabha and for Kejriwal in the Rajya Sabha. The MCD is also not in our hands. Today, BJP controls everything, in the Centre, in the State, in the MCD, and even among senior officials. Within six months of our governance, electricity cuts were reported, and artificial floods were created. The BJP is unable to govern effectively here despite having all these powers because real governance requires integrity. To serve people, you need honest leadership, not corruption.”

Addressing concerns about Punjab, Sanjay Singh claimed that AAP is working hard to consolidate its position there. “As long as Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister, Amit Shah is the Home Minister, and agencies like ED, CBI, and NIA are under their control, all opposition parties need to be vigilant and conscious. We are working hard in Punjab. We cannot let the state slip from our hands. Under CM Bhagwant Mann’s governance, AAP is working diligently in Punjab, and I believe the people there are happy with our performance,” he said.

He rejected claims that Punjab was being remotely controlled from Delhi. He said that Punjab has a full-fledged government functioning independently.

Finally, on his prolonged suspension from the Rajya Sabha, Singh said, “I was suspended for the longest period in the history of the Rajya Sabha, 11 months. Many people pleaded on my behalf. Do I not have the right to raise national issues as a Member of Parliament?”

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