Consolidating
its political fortunes in the National Capital Territory, AAP swept the 2020
Assembly Elections. Marred by violent attacks, staged shootings and the
interminable Shaheen Bagh anti-CAA protests 2020 Delhi Assembly Elections
hogged national attention. The supposed
three-way contest between-AAP, BJP and INC have turned to be a bipolar contest
with Congress failing to make a mark. AAP with a vote share of 53.6% obtained
62 seats while BJP having increased its vote share to 38.4% won in 8
constituencies in the 70-seat legislative assembly. Congress with a nominal
vote share of 4.2% lost deposits in 67 seats.
With this
stellar victory, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal is all set to swear-in as the
chief minister of Delhi for the third-time in succession. While BJP has
marginally increased its vote share and tally compared to 2015 elections, the
dream of clinching power in Delhi still eludes it. A bitter defeat for BJP in
Delhi assembly elections months after it lost power in the Jharkhand warrants a
serious introspection. Decimation of Congress is slowly ushering the Indian
polity into an era of “Congress Mukht Bharat”. The gradual wiping out of the
Congress from Indian politics has created
a huge lacuna. Regional parties are leaving no stone unturned to fill this
political vacuum. Until BJP resolves to groom leaders at the state level it
can’t stand a chance to compete with regional parties. BJP which prides in its commendable
leadership must now cultivate regional leaders to improve its ground connect.
Ably assisted by contingent of motivated cadres, BJP can then aspire to compete
with regional parties on equal footing.
With elections lined up in big states like Bihar and West Bengal, BJP
must evolve new strategies to take on regional parties.
AAP’s
massive win in part can be attributed to consolidation of anti-BJP forces. With
Congress out of contest, AAP which avoided any rhetoric during the election
campaign, managed to garner the support of the swing voters or the fence
sitters who are largely indecisive. Frenzied BJP motor mouths have certainly
driven away some of the neutral voters with their hollow outbursts. While the
provocative hyperbole of BJP garnered all the attention, Kejriwal’s blatant
dole outs to Imams since January 2019 escaped all censure. Following AAP’s
worst electoral performance in 2019 General elections, with an eye on upcoming
assembly elections Kejriwal rolled out several freebies including free bus
rides to woman. The left-dominated media justified them and even dared other
state governments to follow the same trend.
Media turned a blind eye to his soft Hindutva of teerth yatra to senior
citizens. AAP’s stupendous performance is attributed to his good governance and
laudable initiatives in health and education sectors. If development alone has
been the single point agenda of AAP it shouldn’t have lost the 2017 municipal
elections.
There have
been several factors at play which includes polarisation politics. Despite
AAP’s links with the shooting at the Shaheen Bagh protests and PFI, it was
given a clean chit and the victory was ascribed to Kejriwal’s
development-oriented politics. On the contrary, freebies have done the magic
for Kejriwal. Unleashing the doctrine of socialism, AAP has earned the support
of huge migrant population of the national capital. Besides, Kejriwal carefully
stayed away any from taking any stand on the contentious Shaheen Bagh protests,
silently supported Ram Mandir verdict and the abrogation of 370. Having borne
the brunt of a series of defamation charges and its legal implications Kejriwal
learnt it the hard way and refrained from making politically insidious
comments.
In India,
political parties, especially national parties are expected to be election
ready. After every electoral setback, an
aspiring political party like BJP must introspect and learn from the past
mistakes to stay politically relevant and afloat. The message is clear. BJP
must focus on preparing second rung leadership to win state battles. BJP swung
into Delhi elections with full force just a fortnight before elections and
released candidate list few days ahead of final day of nomination. Also, BJP
entered into pitched battle with AAP, singularly run and dominated by Kejriwal
without any chief ministerial candidate who can represent the vision of the
party. Having released the manifesto almost towards the end of the campaigning
it has failed to communicate its vision for the state to the electorate
effectively. Every defeat offers hard lessons and BJP must now go back to
drawing board to get back to winning ways.
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