Delhi assembly election results 2020: Kapil Mishra loses from Model Town to AAP’s Akhilesh Pati Tripathi – assembly elections

Kapil Mishra of the BJP on Tuesday conceded defeat to Akhilesh Pati Tripathi of the AAP in the Model Town constituency in the Delhi assembly election but expressed regret at the loss.

“We need to go back to the people of Delhi. We’ll be a strong opposition. I regret not winning. We couldn’t understand people’s expectations,” Mishra, a former AAP MLA who joined the BJP after a public spat with his boss Arevind Kejriwal.

Mishra who had vowed to defeat the AAP, trailed for much of the counting. Earlier in the day he had said, he expected votes in his favour in the 5th and 6th rounds of counting but wasn’t very optimistic.

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By the time he conceded defeat, he seemed to put his bitterness against the AAP away.

“It is a day to congratulate Aervind Kejriwal and the AAP, says Kapil Mishra

AAP’s Akhileshpati Tripathi retained the Model Town seat for AAP, thanked Kejriwal for trusting him.

“This will send the message across the country that only the politics of development will win henceforth,” he said.

Kapil Mishra, BJP candidate from Model Town constituency: I congratulate Aam Aadmi Party and Arvind Kejriwal for the excellent victory. BJP has lost the fifth state election in a row. It means we have somewhere failed to connect with the people of Delhi. #DelhiElectionResults pic.twitter.com/ptnA9S7Z2I

— ANI (@ANI) February 11, 2020

He also took a swipe at Mishra who had been in the thick of controversies during the election campaign due to his comments, most infamous of which was his encouragement to a crowd of BJP supporters gathered in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that chanted “Desh Ke Gaddaron ko, Goli Maaro Salon Ko” (shoot the anti-nationals) while referring to those who sat in protest against the act.

“Gone are those days when someone could think of winning by instigating the voters just before elections,” Tripathi said.

During the campaign Mishra had also suggested that Shaheen Bagh protestors were sponsored by Pakistan and had likened the elections to an India-Pakistan cricket match.

A day before counting of votes on Monday, Mishra told a news agency that the “people’s mandate” was with the BJP and he wouldn’t be surprised if Kejriwal lost from the New Delhi constituency.