by Mike Andrew - SGN Staff Writer

A pro-Gay and anti-corruption party has swept to power in India's National Capital Territory of Delhi - the equivalent of Washington, DC in the United States.

The Aam Aadami Party (AAP) won 67 of 70 legislative seats. The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which runs the national government, was reduced to a mere three seats, and the Congress Party was entirely eliminated from the state legislature.

Anti-corruption activist and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal told cheering party supporters that the 'people of Delhi have achieved something spectacular.'

'With the help of people, we will make Delhi a city which both poor and rich will feel proud of,' he said.

As supporters showered him with rose petals, Kejriwal said the huge mandate was 'very scary and we should live up to people's expectations.'

Kejriwal now becomes Delhi's chief minister. He held the post briefly in 2013, when he led a minority government, but resigned after only 49 days in office. Now, with a huge majority, his tenure seems secure.

AAP also participated in the 2014 national election, but only elected four members to India's national parliament. In that election, a key plank in the party's platform was re-legalization of Gay sex.

The Delhi High Court held that India's constitution protected sexual orientation, but their ruling was subsequently reversed by India's Supreme Court.

Aam Aadmi have announced that the re-legalization of homosexuality will be a priority in its election manifesto - to be released later this week.

'The party supports the [Delhi] high court's decision on consensual gay sex. We will be mentioning it in the manifesto,' an AAP spokesperson told Indian media at the start of the election campaign.

'In our manifesto we will promise that the party favors amendments in the section so that homosexuals could live without fearing police action.'

Aam Aadami Party literally means 'the common man's party.' The party's agenda appeals mainly to urban working class voters and minorities - which explains its success in Delhi and its failure to do well in national elections.

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