Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "Today, people of Chandigarh have rejected corrupt politics".
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal posted a celebratory tweet today, hailing the party's big debut in the Chandigarh Civic polls ahead of the state elections in Punjab. Mr Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party won 14 of the 35 municipal corporation seats, unseating the BJP, which swept the polls last time winning 20 seats.
The Congress too, improved its performance, doubling its seats from four to eight -- all at the expense of the BJP. The BJP's sitting mayor Ravi Kant Sharma and former mayor Davesh Moudgil both lost to AAP candidates.
The BJP's score had slid to 12, and its erstwhile ally Akali Dal got one seat.
"This victory of Aam Aadmi Party in Chandigarh Municipal Corporation is a sign of the coming change in Punjab," Mr Kejriwal tweeted.
"Today, the people of Chandigarh have rejected corrupt politics and chosen the honest politics of AAP. Many congratulations to all the winning candidates and workers of AAP. This time, Punjab is ready for change," read his tweet in Hindi.
AAP has said the surprise results are "a trailer" for the Assembly elections early next year.
"The mood of the people here will be seen in upcoming Punjab polls too... the people of Chandigarh have given one chance to Kejriwal, people of Punjab too will give us one chance," senior party leader Raghav Chadha was quoted as saying by news agency Press Trust of India.
AAP is hoping to win big in the Punjab assembly elections due in weeks, boosted by the turmoil in the ruling Congress and the falling out of the Akali Dal and the BJP over the contentious farm laws.
Last time the Aam Aadmi Party won 20 of the 117 seats in Punjab. In Parliament, their numbers dropped from four in 2014 to just one in 2019.
This time, Mr Kejriwal and his party have made a host of promises, assuring that they will replicate the Delhi model of governance in the state with focus on free power, water, doorstep services, health and education.