'AAP is a seasonal party': Gujarat deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi takes swipe at Arvind Kejriwal's party

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Wednesday called the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) a "seasonal party", citing its electoral performance in Surat and Gandhinagar to argue that its support had weakened. Speaking at the Rising Bharat Summit - West in Mumbai, Sanghavi said AAP's gains in the Surat municipal elections had not translated into sustained electoral support, claiming that the party subsequently lost its security deposits in the next election. He also said its vote share in Gandhinagar had fallen from 21% to less than 5%. "AAP is a seasonal party," Sanghavi said, arguing that the party's electoral performance reflected a decline in its support base.

The Gujarat deputy chief minister also framed the BJP's political role as a responsibility to protect democratic institutions. "As a political party, it is our responsibility to save democracy and fight anarchy," he said. Turning his attention to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Sanghavi dismissed his electoral predictions, comparing them to weather forecasts made during Congress rule. He said the country could not be governed through "filmy dialogues" and claimed that voters had repeatedly expressed their discontent with Gandhi in successive elections. Sanghavi also urged Congress to reconsider its electoral strategy, saying the party needed to engage directly with voters rather than blame electronic voting machines (EVMs) or the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls for its defeats.

"If Congress wants to win an election, it needs to stop blaming EVMs and SIR. You need to go among people," he said. He added that public relations agencies could help parties craft speeches and social media strategies but could not secure electoral victories on their behalf. "PR agencies cannot get you votes. They can write speeches, run social media strategies," Sanghavi said. Looking ahead to the Uttar Pradesh elections, Sanghavi expressed confidence in a BJP victory, predicting that the party would secure a historic mandate in the state.