AAP leaders are believed to have discussed, among other things, the possibility of a new Delhi chief in the aftermath of the crushing defeat in the Assembly polls.

The party is yet to announce a leader of the Opposition or whether heads will roll following the poll debacle.

After its drubbing in the 2017 municipal polls here, the AAP had replaced its Delhi unit head Dilip Pandey with Gopal Rai — a founding member of the party who had been with CPIML-Liberation’s All India Students Association in Lucknow in the 90s.

Rai and outgoing chief minister Atishi are among the few AAP heavyweights who retained their seats. Party biggies such as national convener Arvind Kejriwal, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and former minister Saurabh Bhardwaj bit the dust.

After a meeting of the party’s political affairs committee on Sunday morning, Kejriwal met the elected MLAs and those who lost the polls in two separate meetings.

A source said: “No decision has been taken on any leadership change so far. Atishi and Gopalji are the senior MLAs in the House and either of them could be the leader of the Opposition. We are just 2 per cent short of the BJP in vote share, and even a rise of three percentage points can bring us back to power next time.”

“We know that our volunteers are tired and, in this situation, a charismatic leader can rebuild the organisation in Delhi before the municipal polls in 2027…. Both Saurabh and Manish are seen as charismatic leaders who can build the organisation,” the source added.

Rai could not be reached for comment.

An AAP leader said the party had decided not to blame the election authorities for the debacle as that might not be received well by the supporters.

“We have to prepare for the worst. The MLAs will be under pressure to get work done on their seats, face harassment from central agencies and also come under the influence of parties they were part of before they joined the AAP,” the leader said.

Of the 22 AAP MLAs who won, two each were with the BJP and the Congress until recently.

“In the days to come, the experience of these candidates will be put to use across the country for campaigning,” Sisodia told reporters after meeting the candidates who lost.

After the meeting the MLAs-elect, Atishi told reporters: “The AAP will ensure that the BJP fulfils this commitment. The AAP will stand with every woman in Delhi to guarantee that ₹2,500 (as promised by the BJP) is credited by March 8…. The AAP will also make sure that the BJP does not obstruct or undo the developmental work accomplished by the Aam Aadmi Party over the past 10 years.”