Just days after suffering a significant defeat in the Delhi assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal is scheduled to meet Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, state ministers, and party MLAs in Delhi on Tuesday. The meeting occurs amid growing speculation about rising internal dissent within the party’s Punjab unit. However, AAP MP Malvinder Singh Kang dismissed these concerns, describing the meeting as a “routine strategy session.”

“A party is an ongoing process. Feedback from all units is gathered to shape future strategies. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP MLAs will meet Arvind Kejriwal to discuss the way forward,” Kang stated.

According to party sources cited by news agency PTI, the discussions will focus on analyzing the Delhi election results and formulating strategies for the Punjab assembly polls, which are due in 2027.

The AAP’s decade-long rule in Delhi came to an end on February 8 when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a decisive victory, winning 48 out of 70 seats in the assembly, while the AAP managed to win only 22 seats. This defeat has reportedly caused unease within the AAP’s Punjab unit, with rumors of dissatisfaction among some MLAs who are allegedly unhappy with the party’s leadership and exploring other options.

In the 2022 Punjab assembly elections, the AAP achieved a landslide victory, winning 92 out of 117 seats. However, recent developments have raised questions about internal rifts, with some suggesting that the party’s Delhi leadership continues to exert significant influence over Punjab’s governance. There is also speculation that Kejriwal may take a more active role in Punjab’s political landscape, as per a PTI report.

Additionally, with the Ludhiana assembly seat currently vacant, there is talk of Kejriwal potentially contesting from there and joining the Punjab government. In the Delhi elections, Kejriwal himself was defeated by BJP’s Parvesh Verma in the New Delhi assembly constituency.

Some opposition leaders have predicted a similar decline for the AAP in Punjab following its recent loss in Delhi. With Punjab now being the only state where the AAP holds power, Tuesday’s meeting holds considerable importance for the party’s future.