Debutant Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal today pulled off a major upset against three-time Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, defeating her with a thumping margin of over 25,000 votes in New Delhi constituency.
The AAP leader, whom both Congress and BJP leaders had dismissed as a “non-actor”, defeated Dikshit by a margin of 25,864 votes.
Making a brief appearance before party volunteers at his Hunuman Road office for the first time after the result was declared, he attributed his victory to the people of New Delhi Constituency.
“This is not my victory, it is a victory of people of New Delhi constituency and victory of democracy,” he said, after defeating Dikshit.
The 45-year-old Kejriwal had filed his nomination on November 16 — the last date — after Dikshit filed hers just to ensure that he was in direct contest with Dikshit.
The volunteers, from 80-year-old Vijay Baba to six-year- old Ritul who had gathered outside his office, cheered and shouted slogans as soon as the announcement of his victory was made by AAP leader Kumar Vishwas.
They showered flower petals and smeared gulal on each other.