After a spectacular showing in Haryana and Maharashtra, the BJP now has its sights firmly set on Delhi, which heads to polls on February 5. The party banks on Congress cutting into AAP’s vote share to scuttle Kejriwal’s bid for a third consecutive term in the capital, writes Pawan Kumar Bansal
The Delhi assembly elections scheduled for next month will witness triangular contest among BJP, Congress and AAP. While Arvind Kejriwal is AAP’s chief ministerial face, Congress and BJP are yet to declare their CM faces.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already sounded the poll bugle by launching BJP’s campaign by addressing a public meeting in which he made scathing attacks on AAP and Arvind Kejriwal describing them “Aapda” (disaster) for Delhi. Inaugurating several projects, Modi said, “Aapda ko hatana hai, BJP ko laana hai (eliminate the threat by voting the BJP to power).”
Speaking after handing over the keys of newly-constructed flats to the dwellers of ‘jhuggi‘ clusters under the Slum Rehabilitation Project, Modi said that Kejriwal used to boast of simplicity before coming to power but after coming to power, he made “sheesh-mahal” alluding to the alleged lavish renovation of the Delhi Chief Minister’s bungalow during Arvind Kejriwal’s tenure. While leveraging the event to hand over flats to the poor, he said,” “I, too, could have built a “sheesh-mahal” (glass- palace) for myself but my dream is to provide “pucca” houses to my countrymen”.
Modi also mentioned the liquor-scam and exploitation of the name of Anna Hazare by Kejriwal for coming to power. It seems that Delhi assembly elections have turned into a battle between the two firebrand leaders—Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal. The Congress has nothing to lose but BJP and AAP have high stakes. The BJP doesn’t have a local leader whose stature matches with Kejriwal.
While referring to repeated mention of his name by Modi in his public meetings, Kejriwal said, “It indicates that they are panicky over our government’s development works specifically for the poor, the down-trodden, women and marginalised sections of the society.” Kejriwal added, “It is the BJP which is facing ‘asli aapda’ as it neither has a CM face nor any agenda for the election.”
On the other hand, the Congress does not have a major stake but it surely is a prestige issue for both BJP and the ruling-party AAP. Third time consequent victory would enhance the stature of Arvind Kejriwal at the national level and he can emerge as alternative leader to Narendra Modi. If the BJP succeeds in overthrowing AAP from power, it will demoralise not only AAP, but the Congress also. Defeat of Congress will also lead to questioning of the role of Rahul Gandhi as leader of the party as well as of alliance of opposition parties. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has already started the debate by openly offering herself as leader of united opposition parties questioning the capabilities of Rahul Gandhi. By making Atishi as CM, AAP is hopeful of attracting a large number of women voters.
Besides its welfare projects, AAP is also adding a dose of Hindutva to its campaign, by promising a monthly grant to the temple priests and projecting Arvind Kejriwal as devotee of Lord Hanuman. AAP is hopeful that its performance on health and education fronts with Hindutva narrative will help it in retaining power. The BJP is banking on the popularity and oratory of MP Bansuri Swaraj, daughter of former Delhi CM and Union Minister Sushma Swaraj. The BJP is also harping on the popularity of Narendra Modi. Considering the presence of a large number of people from adjacent Haryana in Delhi, BJP has already deputed its leaders from Haryana to Delhi poll arena. Former MP and BJP leader from Haryana, Sunita Duggal, who is campaigning in Delhi, said that Arvind Kejriwal stood exposed as people say that the man who came to power by raising the issue of corruption is himself involved in “corruption” referring to his alleged role in liquor scam.
In another development, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has accused the AAP government of overlooking the welfare of farmers alleging that it is not implementing various central schemes for the welfare of the farmers such as the Integrated Horticulture Mission, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, Seed-village program, Agriculture Mechanisation and Traditional Agriculture Department Scheme resulting into depriving farmers of subsidies, modern agriculture equipment and seed-testing facilities.
