By Fakir Balaji

Bengaluru, Feb 11 (IANS): The resounding victory of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Delhi Assembly elections is a vote for development politics and rejection of divisive forces, said former Infosys Director and AAP member V. Balakrishnan, here on Tuesday.

"The hat-trick of the party in the Delhi elections is all about development politics. The landslide win is refreshing as it gives hope for clean politics and good performance. You get votes and win polls when you deliver what you promise," Balakrishnan told IANS.

The six-year-old party swept the polls again winning 58 seats and leading in 4 seats 12 hours after vote count began earlier in the day for the February 8 polls, leaving the opposition BJP way behind with 7 wins and leading in 1, while the grand old Congress failed to open its account again.

"The Delhi elections were fought on hope versus hate. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal led a positive campaign unlike the communal card by the BJP to polarise the electorate. Our focus was on development and on the basis of performance over the past 5 years in the capital," asserted Balakrishnan.

Quitting the global software major in December 2013, Balakrishnan joined the AAP in January 2014 after the nascent party stormed to power in 2013 Delhi Assembly polls with Kejriwal as its winning mascot.

Though the first AAP government in Delhi lasted 49 days, Balakrishnan stayed in the party and contested the April-May 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Bangalore Central, losing to BJP's sitting member P.C. Mohan.

"I continue to be a member of the AAP though not so active as before. The party and its leaders consult me whenever they need my advice or help. The party's Karnataka unit is alive and kicking."

On the ruling AAP sweeping the Delhi polls for the third consecutive time, eight months after losing all the 7 Lok Sabha seats in the May 2019 polls, Balakrishnan said the TINA (there is no alternative) factor at the national level enabled the BJP to retain power with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as its leader.

"As there was no credible leader from the opposition against Modi, the electorate preferred him for stability and governance at the national level. Our victory in Delhi for the third time in a row demonstrates that a credible leader, like Kejriwal, can't only take on the national parties, like the BJP and the Congress, but also defeat their leaders like Modi and Amit Shah," asserted the venture capitalist.

Noting that a huge electoral win at the hustings for a young party like the AAP with its leaders, such as Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, who hail from humble background and are middle class citizens, Balakrishnan said poll results in states across the country proved that development and clean governance could win the vote.

"In a way, our party is redefining electoral politics in the country. With no baggage or legacy of the past unlike other political parties, the AAP is a party of ordinary folks, with middle class background and rooted in values and inner democracy. We stand for clean politics, corruption-free administration and deliver what we promise to the people," reiterated Balakrishnan.