Deepak Dwivedi
GOVERNANCE of the Union Territory State of Delhi is not a major issue in the power-sharing structure under the Constitution, which reserves key areas for the Central Government. But Assembly elections in Delhi – to be held on February 5 – have acquired more than a symbolic significance for the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has been out of power in the national Capital for over 27 years.
Though the party won all the seven Lok Sabha seats in the last three parliamentary elections, it has been unable to dethrone the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP since the latter displaced the Congress in Delhi in 2013. Though the BJP’s vote-share in Delhi elections was 33.1 per cent in 2013, 32.2 pc in 2015, and 38.5 pc in 2020; it failed to reflect in the number of Assembly seats it won and the AAP remained in power.
This time, the BJP is confident of its victory in Delhi on the strength of corruption and misgovernance charges against the AAP Government and its recent sweep in Haryana and Maharashtra elections. The fact that the Congress has also launched a tirade against Kejriwal and his colleagues gives the BJP a distinct advantage. The Grand Old Party has forsaken its alliance with AAP in the Assembly elections and is contesting against it in Delhi, making the contest triangular.
Advantage BJP
Political observers feel the division in the Opposition votes is sure to work to the BJP’s advantage.
The BJP has coined the word ‘AAPda’ (disaster) to launch a blistering attack against the ruling party in Delhi. “Aapda ko hatana hai, BJP ko laana hai (Eliminate disaster, bring in BJP),” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said while sounding the poll bugle for the party in Delhi last week.
Local BJP leaders feel the party is in the best shape to end its dry run of over 25 years because of the dent in Kejriwal’s image due to corruption charges and problems faced by the people under the AAP rule.
With a strong organisational presence up to booth level in all the 70 Assembly segments, the party workers have held thousands of small reachout meetings with targeted groups and communities, months ahead of the polls.
In addition, the local leaders of the party have also been raising civic issues like water scarcity, supply of polluted water, air pollution, waterlogging, damaged roads and poor public transport service.
