Avadh Ojha, the popular civil services exam tutor, and one of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's more high-profile recruits ahead of the 2025 Delhi Assembly election, has lost from the Patparganj seat.
Mr Ojha replaced senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia as the party's pick for this seat; Mr Sisodia, who won in the 2013, 2015, and 2020 polls, was shifted to Jungpura to accommodate the new recruit.
However, he slipped to a massive defeat to the Bharatiya Janata Party's Ravinder Negi by over 21,000 votes. The Congress' Anil Chaudhary was a (distant) third, more than 50,000 votes off the pace.
Speaking to reporters after his loss, Mr Ojha declared himself content, for now, with second place, but vowed he would return for the 2030 Delhi election. "Winning or losing is nothing. This was my first political innings, and I secured the second position. I am very happy with this achievement," he said.
"Perhaps the public felt it was time for a change after a long time. They might have wanted to give another party a chance. There is no question of any shortcomings on our (the AAP's) part," he said.
Patparganj was widely expected to be a 'safe seat' for Avadh Ojha, a feeling underlined by Mr Sisodia's comments that the area is seen as "the heart of the education revolution in Delhi".
READ | All About Avadh Ojha, UPSC Teacher Who Joined AAP
However, it has not transpired quite that way, either for the candidate or the party. The BJP raced into a massive early lead as counting began Saturday morning. In fact, within the first couple of hours the party was ahead in 50 of Delhi's 70 seats. The AAP then fought back a little, but defeat seems certain.
Delhi Election Results LIVE | BJP Heads For Sweep, Huge Setback For AAP
At 1.30pm, the BJP was leading in 47 seats and the AAP in 23.
And, crucially, both Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia have lost.
READ | Arvind Kejriwal Loses New Delhi Seat As AAP Heads For Rout
The Congress, blanked in each of the last two elections, is set for a hat-trick of ducks.
Voting for the Delhi election took place on Wednesday.
Exit polls, which can be wrong, indicated a big win for the BJP, which has not ruled Delhi since 1998.
READ | BJP Set For Delhi 'Wapsi', Exit Polls Predict Big Election Win
The AAP, though, rejected the predictions and insisted it would form the government for a third consecutive time. Party leader Gopal Rai matched the BJP's claim - that the party will get 50 seats.
The AAP, bidding for a third consecutive term, was given only an outside edge to win, after its election prep was hampered by party boss Arvind Kejriwal and Mr Sisodia, his second-in-command, being sent to jail on corruption charges (that are still unproven) linked to the liquor excise policy scam.
The ruling party has also had to fight off the BJP's attacks on Mr Kejriwal's image, with the focus on the 'sheeshmahal' scandal. The allegation is that the AAP leader used Rs 45 crore of taxpayer money to refurbish, with luxurious fittings, the Chief Minister's bungalow that he occupied when he held the post.
