It is indeed amazing that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears to be going overboard to ensure its victory in Delhi Assembly Elections. Recently, it released a list of 40 key BJP leaders, including Prime Minister, central ministers and chief ministers, who will campaign for Delhi elections. Politically, Delhi doesn’t bear the importance of states like Uttar Pradesh (UP), where BJP simply cannot afford to lose assembly polls. Statistically, Delhi’s political importance is limited to seven seats, while UP is represented by 80 members in Lok Sabha. The new importance being given to “winning” Delhi by BJP appears to bear greater political significance than apparent. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is already out on the field in full steam. It is possible, BJP is fairly confident, rather over-confident that victory in Delhi is almost guaranteed. BJP leaders are sure that as key Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders have been imprisoned because of charges filed against them, prospects of this party’s return to power are dim.
BJP is, however, being extra-cautious so that electoral power favors only its candidates. It is also possible, decision of certain other regional parties, including Trinamool Congress Party and Samajwadi Party to support AAP has prompted BJP to be more serious about Delhi polls. Indirectly, other parties’ decision to support AAP also indicates the increasing importance being accorded by them to Arvind Kejriwal. Undeniably, his popularity is primarily confined to Delhi. This is further supported by the failure of this party to win a single seat in Lok Sabha as well as Haryana Assembly elections. In Haryana, Kejriwal tried to boost his image by calling himself son of the state but this didn’t click with voters. In essence, he or his party doesn’t bear any political risk for Prime Minister Modi or BJP at the national level. Why is BJP paying extra-attention to defeating Kejriwal in Delhi polls? Interestingly, BJP’s electoral campaign seems to be directly targeting Kejriwal. The party stalwarts appear to be hardly bothered about any threat being posed by Congress or its leader Rahul Gandhi. There is nothing astonishing about this as in general chances of Congress faring well in these polls are largely viewed as extremely limited. Nevertheless, its importance as the third key party in battle for Delhi cannot be sidelined even if the party fails.
BJP leaders are aiming for a “double-engine” government in Delhi, that is apart from holding power at the center, they want to control the state government too. It is possible, timing is seen as just appropriate when several factors seem strongly against Kejriwal, including cases filed against him and therefore BJP doesn’t want to lose the opportunity of grabbing power here. In addition, there is a view as votes secured by BJP in preceding two assembly elections have been above 30%, the party is conscious of its standing in Delhi being quite good. However, Kejriwal’s popularity backed by his welfare-schemes apparently helped AAP sweep both the two elections. Or in other words, Kejriwal’s “popularity” rests primarily on AAP’s welfare-schemes- particularly that of free-water and power-supply. It is possible, the same may play the magical role again for AAP’s return to power. This is not because majority are against BJP or that this party’s welfare-schemes don’t appeal to them. Against the inflation spelling economic woes for people at large, not paying the water and power bills spells a lot of relief them. A rudimentary survey indicates that quite a few seem concerned about facing water as well as power bills if AAP, that is Kejriwal doesn’t return to power. Here, economic problems matter more for most people than religious cards being played by most politicians, including Kejriwal. This may also be viewed as responsible for BJP’s failure to return to power without a majority in Lok Sabha.
Nevertheless, there is no denying that Kejriwal appears to have been caught off-guard by the apparently strong campaign of BJP-leaders, including Modi, against him. In contrast to Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi being key targets, during the preceding Delhi polls as well as at other levels, at present, BJP-leaders’ verbal missiles are primarily aimed at Kejriwal. From one angle, there is nothing surprising about this. Kejriwal and his party hardly pose any threat or even any standing in other states, except Punjab, where AAP heads the state government. To a degree, it seems that alarm bells are ringing for Kejriwal. This is suggested by his commenting that Congress is in “secret alliance” with BJP against him. In other words, this perhaps indicates that he does fear that Delhi voters may turn against him. And before the “results” indicate this, he has said that Delhi polls would expose the “alliance” between BJP and Congress. That is if he is defeated, he’d blame their “nexus” as responsible for the same.
Considering that AAP has headed the Delhi government with Kejriwal as chief minister for more than a decade, BJP as well as Congress leaders can be expected to target only him and his party as a part of their respective campaigns being indulged in aggressively. While there is nothing surprising about rivals targeting each other, being cornered by both rivals appears to have literally muffled up the muffler-man about his political prospects. He has even reportedly talked about getting the Congress moved out of anti-BJP India-bloc after talking to other parties. This opinion may also be viewed as a sign of anti-Congress sentiments being entertained by Kejriwal in not just politics of Delhi but at other levels too. At the same time, if he expects Congress to take his “threat” seriously and support his party in Delhi elections, Kejriwal is being impractical. Congress has supported AAP in Delhi in the past and hasn’t gained much from this political alliance. Experience apparently guards it from allying with AAP again in Delhi elections. At least, this seems to be the scene at present. And BJP naturally views these developments as perfect for it to go all out for gaining command of Delhi government. Given the present scenario, whatever be Delhi-poll-results, for three key parties in the race, they are likely to spell either a surprise/shock!