Delhi is set to witness one of the most fiercely contested elections in years. The Aaꦓm Aadmi Party (AAP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress are engaged in a razor sharp battle for the 70 assembly seats of the national capital. With an aim to capitalise on voter sentiments and shifting political winds, the three major contenders are coming up with distinct strategies and am💯bitious promises.
The three꧟ parties each have historically gone solo in spite of sharing overlapping voter bases. However, the Lok Sabha election of 2019 was a rare moment when the Congress and the AAP had joined hands and together secured a vote share of 43.1%.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led party has consistently increased its strength and outperforming the Congress, whose vote share has seen a sharp decline over the years. The AAP made a foray into Delhi’s electoral politics in 2013 and bagged 28 seats with ⭕29% vote share. The spectacular performance of the debutant pushed the Congress to a distant third position with just eight seats. The Congress’ vote share dropped further to a mere 4.🉐3% by 2020. The AAP maintained a commanding presence with 53.6% vote share.
Meanwhile, the BJP’s vote share has seen a steady rise. From 33.1% in 2013, it jumped to 38.5% in 2020. But the party’s seat count has been erratic. It won 31 seats in 2015, only to see that number plummet to three in the same year♏. It rose to eight in 2020. Despite its insignificant presence in the assembly, the BJP swept the recent general elections by securing a vote share higher than that of the Congress and the AAP combined.
Key Battles To Watch
There are several high-stakes contests in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections that may determine the future government of the city. New Delhi constituency is among the most closely watched. It has been a stronghold for Kejriwal — former Delhi chief minister and AAP’s national convener. He has won this seat thrice (2013, 2015, 2020) and faces fierce competition from Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit, the son of former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit, and BJP’s Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, the son of former BJP CM Sahib Singh Verma.
Kalkaji assembly se﷽gment is witnessing another crucial battle, where incumbent Chief Minister Atishi, who won theꦬ seat in 2020 for the first time, faces opposition from BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri and Congress’ Alka Lamba. While Bidhuri has represented South Delhi in the Lok Sabha, Lamba, who was once an AAP MLA, is new to Kalkaji.
AAP’s second-in-command Manish Sisodia, the former deputy chief minister, will engage in a triangular contest against BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah and Congress’ Farhad Suri. Having previously represented East Delhi’s Patparganj constituency, Sisodia is less𒁃 familiar with the Jangpura. A seasoned politician, Marwah contests for the BJP after defecting from the Congress.
Strategic Moves And Tactics
Despite being partners of the Opposition’s INDIA bloc at the Centre, AAP’s decision to not to form an alliance with the Congress signals the party’s confidence in its past 10 years of governance. On the other hand, the BJP is reaching out to voters focusing on the controversies surrounding the AAP government such as its alleged involvement in corruption and mismanagement. Led by Sandeep Dikshit, the Congress is claiming that it is the 🎶main challenger to both the AAP and ܫthe BJP. The party is hoping to tap into anti-incumbency.
In a recent statement, Dikshit claimed that the Congress is in direct contest with the BJP in 45-50 constituencies and that the AAP is facing significant anti-incumbency. Congress candidate Alka Lamba too claimed that her party is the “only real alternative to address issues 🥃like governance, crime and pollution”. The Congress, with an aim to sway voters, has launched the ‘Pyari Didi’ scheme to give Rs 2,500 as monthly payments to women voters if the party comes to power.
Meanwhile, the BJP co🐟ntinues to target AAP’s performance. It is accusing the incumbents of spending excessive funds on “luxury projects”♋ like the construction of a new official residence for the then chief minister, Kejriwal, during the pandemic.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also been actively campaigning in Delhi. He has inaugurated new housing for JJ cluster residents and launched the Delhi-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor or High-Speed Regional Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) apparently to cﷺonsolidate support among voters.
AAP’s Welfare Push
The AAP seems to be focused on its promise of providing free services and extending welfare schemes to Delhi’s residents. Free medical treatment to al൲l Delhi’s residents aged above 60 at both public and private hospitals is one among its key promises.
The party has also promised to cancel inflated water bills. The move is aimed at appealing to the city’s lower and middle-income group voters. Apart from this, the AAP has also proposed a monthly honorarium of Rs 18,000 for temple priests and gurdwara granthis in addition to a monthly stip📖end starting at Rs 1,000 and eventually rꦇising to Rs 2,100 for women from low-income families.
Divided Battlefront
The Delhi Assembly election battle will be one of contrasting promises, strategies and ideologies. While the ruli⛄ng AAP is banking on its governance and welfare schemes, the BJP and the Congress aim to capitalise on anti-incumbency and offer promises of better governance.
Each party seems to have a unique appeal to different voter segments — the AAP with its welfare schemes, the BJP wi🍌th its focus on development and national leadership and the Congress with its promises of financial aid and anti-pollution measures.
With the promises, strategies and cand✃idates all in play, the forthcoming election will be a crucial turning point for the city, and its outcome is sure to be keenly contested.
