Proud victory for BJP in Delhi

Every election in the country showcases a unique spectacle. In the fiercely contested Delhi Assembly elections, the BJP has made a strong comeback after 27 years. The party secured 48 out of the 70 seats, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had ruled Delhi for the past decade, was reduced to just 22 seats. As in the last two elections, the Congress party once again failed to win even a single seat, leaving it outside the legislative assembly. Twenty-seven years ago, the Congress had taken power from the BJP, and Sheila Dikshit governed Delhi for 15 consecutive years. However, the image of her administration suffered greatly due to corruption allegations, including those related to the Commonwealth Games. It was during this period that Arvind Kejriwal, a former civil servant, emerged as a new star in Indian politics, shocking the major parties with a historic victory in the Delhi Assembly elections. Entering public life as the right-hand man of Gandhian and anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare, Kejriwal quickly won the trust of a large majority of Delhi’s residents. His two massive electoral victories, which left opposition parties far behind, became a significant chapter in Indian political history. However, yesterday's election results indicate that AAP has suffered a major setback, after having dominated with 62 out of 70 seats in the 2020 elections. Along with the party losing power, many key leaders, including former Chief Minister Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, faced defeat. Only Atishi, who took over the Chief Minister’s position after Kejriwal’s resignation, managed to barely hold on. Kejriwal’s fall from being seen as a symbol of integrity to being embroiled in corruption allegations seems ironic. At this juncture, the well-known adage, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely,” comes to mind.

The plight of the Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 years, is also pitiable. In Delhi’s 60.52% voter turnout, Congress candidates collectively secured just over 6% of the vote share. The public is eager to see how the party's high command and lower leadership evaluate this dismal state, given that Congress once ruled the nation for nearly half a century.

The election results make it clear that the trust and confidence Delhi residents initially had in Kejriwal’s decade-long governance have been completely lost. During AAP’s second term, a significant portion of voters believed the corruption allegations against the party and its leaders, which was reflected in the polling outcome. The inability to sustain the free services that initially paved the way for AAP’s government, along with the massive controversy surrounding the liquor policy, put the party on the defensive. Kejriwal, who once presented himself as the embodiment of simplicity, later indulged in extravagant luxuries, which alienated him from the people of Delhi. His decision to construct a grand, palace-like bungalow filled with lavish amenities and live a lifestyle resembling that of Mughal emperors was unacceptable to the people. Additionally, the imprisonment of Kejriwal and several top leaders in corruption cases angered ordinary citizens. Frequent clashes with the Lieutenant Governor further tarnished the government’s image. During the election campaign, Kejriwal even resorted to spreading baseless allegations, such as claiming that the Haryana government had poisoned the Yamuna River. Numerous accusations were also made against the Election Commission. The election results have proven that such deceptive tactics are not enough to maintain public trust and support.

From the very first phase of the vote counting in the morning, the trend favoured the BJP. At no point did the BJP fall behind. Notably, most of the seats won by AAP were in Muslim-Dalit majority areas. The party also retained a significant share of the 12 reserved constituencies. Additionally, AAP had an advantage in constituencies bordering Punjab, where the party is in power. However, in seats like New Delhi, where Kejriwal contested, the middle-class voters largely distanced themselves from AAP, which proved to be a major setback.

As the BJP secured a majority and prepared to assume power, Kejriwal’s former mentor, Anna Hazare, made remarks that attracted significant attention. Hazare commented that Kejriwal was now facing the bitter consequences of ignoring his advice and advancing with a selfish mindset. He added that Kejriwal had abandoned his good values after being swayed by money and power, which ultimately led to his downfall. Hazare, who once led the fight against corruption but later withdrew from the political scene, saw this as a key reason for Kejriwal's defeat.

Despite failing to secure a majority, AAP’s overall voter base has not collapsed entirely. While the BJP secured around 48% of the votes, AAP still managed to capture 43%, which is noteworthy. AAP was part of the INDIA alliance, but both parties failed to contest the Delhi elections together. In several constituencies, the presence of Congress candidates hurt AAP’s chances of winning.

Since many of the public issues faced by the AAP government in Delhi still persist, governance will not be easy for the incoming BJP government. The most pressing issue is the severe crisis in the clean water supply. The Yamuna River, which carries waste, remains so polluted that people cannot even touch its water. There are also problems in electricity distribution, and the BJP will need to continue providing the free electricity benefits previously offered by AAP. Alongside these continued welfare schemes, the BJP had also made several promises to voters, including a monthly payment of Rs 2,500 for women and free public transport benefits. The success of the BJP government will largely depend on how effectively it fulfils these commitments.

As usual, the biggest loser in the Delhi elections was the Congress party, which now faces yet another moment of self-reflection. The results indicate that the grand old party has failed to learn from previous election setbacks. Instead of merely engaging in smear campaigns and empty rhetoric, Congress leaders must come together and find ways to regain lost public trust. With more elections ahead, the party must take urgent corrective measures.