•Arvind Kejriwal claims Gujarat is ready for political change and predicts AAP will form the state government after the 2027 Assembly elections.
•AAP won Narmada district, marking the first time in 75 years that a third party has formed a local government in Gujarat, traditionally dominated by BJP and Congress.
•Kejriwal attributes the shift to growing public demand for alternatives and credits tribal voters in Narmada for breaking the two-party system.
•The BJP has ruled Gujarat continuously since 1995, and Kejriwal asserts that AAP will secure a full majority in 2027.
•AAP organized a grand Vijay Yatra in Narmada to celebrate the victory and promote its message of change across Gujarat.
•The win in a tribal-majority district signals potential expansion of AAP’s influence beyond urban areas.
•Political analysts view the Narmada victory as a symbolic breakthrough and a sign of evolving voter preferences in Gujarat.
New Delhi, 10 June 2024 — Arvind Kejriwal, national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on Monday declared that Gujarat is “yearning for change” and that his party will form the state government after the 2027 Assembly elections. Speaking at a public event in Narmada district, Kejriwal emphasized that for the first time in 75 years, a third political force has broken the traditional two-party dominance in Gujarat, traditionally contested only by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC).
Addressing a large gathering, Kejriwal said, “Over the past 75 years, whether at the state level or the district level, governments in Gujarat were formed by only two parties: either the Congress or the BJP. People used to say that a third party simply could not exist in Gujarat, that there was no room for one, and that a third party had absolutely no standing.” He credited the voters of Narmada district for ending this monopoly by electing an AAP-led administration at the local level.
“The people of the Narmada district have brought a third party to power for the very first time,” Kejriwal stated. “You have formed an Aam Aadmi Party government. This demonstrates that the people of Gujarat are yearning for change.” He framed the Narmada victory as a turning point, suggesting that the political shift beginning in tribal regions would ripple across the entire state.
“The spark ignited by the people of this tribal region, this spark that originated right here in Narmada district,” Kejriwal said, “will now spread across the whole of Gujarat, and in 2027, an Aam Aadmi Party government will be formed.”
The AAP also organized a large-scale Vijay Yatra (victory march) through Narmada district to celebrate the win. On social media platform X, Kejriwal reiterated his prediction, stating, “For the first time in Gujarat, a government of a third party, distinct from Congress and BJP, has been formed in a district. The BJP has been in government in Gujarat for thirty years. In 2027, the Aam Aadmi Party will form a government in the entire Gujarat with a full majority.”
Gujarat, a BJP stronghold since 1995, has not witnessed a third-party-led local government in decades. The AAP’s recent success in Narmada district—home to a significant tribal population—signals a potential erosion of the BJP’s long-standing dominance. While the state has seen strong performances by the Congress in past elections, the AAP’s rise introduces a new dynamic in Gujarat’s political landscape.
Kejriwal’s remarks come amid growing speculation about opposition unity ahead of the 2027 polls. The AAP has been expanding its presence across multiple states, including Punjab, Delhi, and now Gujarat, positioning itself as a national alternative to the BJP and Congress. The Narmada victory is being seen as a symbolic breakthrough, especially in a region where tribal communities play a crucial role in electoral outcomes.
Political observers note that while the AAP has made inroads in urban centers like Surat and Vadodara, its foothold in rural and tribal areas remains limited. However, the local government win in Narmada—an area with significant Scheduled Tribe (ST) population—suggests growing acceptance of the party among marginalized communities.
The AAP’s Vijay Yatra in Narmada was marked by large public gatherings and cultural programs, aimed at consolidating support ahead of future elections. Party leaders have indicated plans to scale up organizational efforts across Gujarat, targeting both urban and rural constituencies.
As Gujarat gears up for the 2027 Assembly elections, Kejriwal’s confident assertion of an AAP government reflects the party’s ambition to challenge the BJP’s hegemony in the state. Whether this prediction materializes remains to be seen, but the Narmada win has certainly injected fresh energy into the AAP’s Gujarat campaign.