The AAP — the ruling party in Delhi and Punjab — failed to open its account in the capital and was leading in only three seats in the other, worse than even its 2014 performance when it was not in power anywhere.

The party failed to debut in the Lok Sabha from the capital, where it swept two consecutive Assembly polls.

However, the party kept up a brave face, congratulating its members in Punjab for increasing the tally there from one to three out of 13 seats. They also pointed out that they fought with their hands tied behind their back in Delhi, with party leader and chief minister Arvind Kejriwal being released on bail less than a fortnight before campaigning ended in the capital.

AAP Delhi convener and minister Gopal Rai told reporters on Tuesday: “The AAP fought this election in the most adverse circumstances among all the parties in this country.”

The BJP got 54.29 per cent votes in the capital, while the AAP and the Congress registered 24.09 per cent and 19.05 per cent, respectively. The BJP won all seven seats.

In Punjab, though the AAP gained two seats in this Lok Sabha election, they fared poorly compared to their performance in the 2022 Assembly polls. They won 92 out of 117 Assembly seats and got 42.01 per cent of votes in 2022, but this time, they got just 26.02 per cent votes.

An AAP leader told The Telegraph: “Before Arvind returned to jail (on June 2), we knew we were losing in Punjab. He was very angry with (chief minister) Bhagwant Mann.... We have not delivered our core promises in Punjab, ministers don’t have a free hand, and governance is weak.”