- The recently concluded state assembly elections to Delhi had garnered tremendous attention around the country for the sheer amount of animosity showcased by the three main political parties during the campaigning. Even though Aam Aadmi Party was the incumbent running the government over the last two terms, the Bharatiya Janata Party ran a spirited poll campaign highlighting how the much tow-towed corruption-free administration promised by Arvind Kejriwal led entity had faltered quite spectacularly in failing to sustain the promise. Right from the inception of AAP into the political firmament, the party had professed to be intolerant to corruption, focusing on education and healthcare, and provisioning basic amenities for the benefit of common citizens. The anti-incumbency played a huge role here.
PC: YouTube
- The third angle was completed by the Grand Old Party which was in the fray hoping to create an impact after the drubbing in the Haryana and Maharashtra state assembly polls. Of course, the campaign was vicious, vitriolic, and had no dearth of drama with all the major political parties firing on all cylinders to impress upon the electorate by levelling accusations. The elections were conducted, and the results are out as well. The incumbent AAP has suffered a severe setback with the BJP romping home with a comfortable majority relegating the Kejriwal-led outfit into a has been. Congress spectacularly failed to even open its account in the polls. While the BJP won 48 seats, AAP had to be content with 22 seats. How did AAP lose the plot in the elections though?
PC: Hindustan Times
- The party that came into existence on the back of a sustained campaign against corruption was found to be mired in the now-scrapped liquor-policy scam that hit the headlines consistently. The beacon of hope against corruption like Kejriwal and some of his senior colleagues were sent behind bars over the issue. The incarceration not only dented the carefully cultivated image of the AAP supremo but also revealed how AAP had transformed into one of the many mundane parties with its unique qualities dissipating amid high-handedness. The CM’s opulent and obscene spending on his official residence, which was relentlessly highlighted by the BJP’s formidable election machinery had a huge role to play. The Yamuna water conundrum only added to the political intrigue.
PC: The Hindu
- Indulging in unfounded accusations without substantiating the claims on Yamuna water proved to be counterproductive for the AAP supremo. Agreed, the perennial pollution-related challenges faced by the Delhiites hugely contributed to the decimation of AAP. Add to this the creaking infrastructure challenges in the form of faultering administration exacerbated by the general negligence on basic amenities only alienated the party from the people. The three parties promised several freebies targeting women voters big-time. Common citizens have voiced their opinions, and now it’s up to the double-engine government to ensure those promised freebies are delivered. Will the BJP government be able to mop up the required revenue to deliver? Let’s wait and watch.
