BJP conquers Delhi

New Delhi, Feb 8: The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), in a landmark political shift, has won a resoundingly in the Delhi Assembly elections, ending the decade-long rule of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

This victory marks BJP's return to power in the national capital after a gap of 27 Years.

According to the Election Commission of India, the BJP won 48 seats in the 70-member Legislative Assembly, while AAP managed to win only 22, a major fall for the ruling AAP in Delhi.

Congress, once a dominant force in Delhi politics, failed to make a significant impact, though it managed to maintain around 6 percent of the vote.

In one of the major electoral upsets, BJP’s Parvesh Verma emerged as a “giant killer” by defeating AAP supremo and former chief minister and convenor of AAP, Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency. Kejriwal had held the seat since 2013, when he unseated three-term Congress chief minister Sheila Dikshit, paving the way for AAP’s rise in Delhi politics.

However, this time, he lost by a margin of 1200 votes.

Adding to AAP’s woes, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was defeated in Kalkaji by BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah.

Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj from Greater Kailash also lost.

The only respite among the party’s top leadership was the victory of Atishi, who took over as CM from Mr Kejriwal last year, from Kalkaji against two-time MP Ramesh Bidhuri.

With these losses, AAP’s leadership now faces an existential crisis, as key figures who spearheaded the party’s governance model are no longer part of the Legislative Assembly.

AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal said that he humbly accepts the verdict of the people and insisted that his party was not in politics for power.

The former CM also said that the AAP will play the role of constructive opposition and continue to serve the people.

Most exit polls had predicted a decisive win for the BJP, with estimates suggesting the party would cross the 35-seat majority mark.

Delhi’s unique demographic composition, representing nearly every state and community in India, makes its election results particularly significant.

The BJP’s victory here is not just symbolic; it could set the tone for future elections across the country in other states.

The BJP invested heavily in this campaign, deploying top leaders like PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to rally support.

Their efforts appear to have paid off, with the party regaining control of Delhi after being out of power since 1998.

While AAP had built its reputation on governance-focused policies, such as improvements in education and healthcare, several factors contributed to its downfall including anti-incumbency, the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ controversy, and the liquor policy scandal.

Anti-Incumbency

After ruling Delhi for ten years, AAP struggled to counter the perception that it had become complacent. Its repeated claims that the BJP-led central government was obstructing its functioning no longer resonated with voters.

‘Sheesh Mahal’ Controversy

BJP’s relentless attack on Kejriwal over the renovation of his official Chief Minister residence dubbed the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ tarnished his image as a serious politician who once championed transparency and anti-corruption.

Liquor Policy Scandal

The now-scrapped Delhi excise policy led to corruption allegations against AAP, culminating in the arrests of key leaders, including Kejriwal. While AAP leaders denied any wrongdoing, the scandal played a major role in eroding public trust.

Unlike other states, Delhi has a unique governance framework where key decisions related to public order, land, and policing are controlled by the Lieutenant Governor, an appointee of the central government.

The state legislature primarily manages health, education, and public services.

In the past, this division led to constant friction between the BJP-led central government and AAP’s Delhi administration.

With the BJP now controlling both the central and state leadership, there is hope among voters for smoother governance and improved infrastructure, including better roads, uninterrupted electricity, and sanitation reforms.

However, the BJP will now have to fulfil its campaign promises.

The party has pledged to tackle Delhi’s persistent issues like air pollution, repair of roads, better drinking water and sanitation in the city.

This election outcome reinforces PM Modi’s political influence, particularly after the BJP suffered setbacks in last year’s general election, where it lost its outright majority.

It also delivers a significant blow to AAP, a party that once positioned itself as a formidable challenger to traditional political forces.

With key leaders like Kejriwal and Sisodia now out of the assembly, AAP faces an uncertain future.

The party, which was initially celebrated for its governance reforms, now finds itself grappling with legal battles and a leadership crisis.

Following the results, BJP workers celebrated with fervour, dancing to the beats of drums and dhols,’ waving party flags, and smearing saffron-coloured powder on each other while victorious candidates led grand processions.

The final tally indicates BJP’s dominance, with the party winning 48 seats, while AAP trailed with 22.

As Delhi embarks on a new political chapter, all eyes are now on the BJP to see if it can deliver on its promises and meet the high expectations of its voters.