AAP has done it again, winning 62 out of 70 seats in Delhi. Arvind Kejriwal has grown into a seasoned politician and leader in steering his party to a resounding win, limiting the runners-up BJP with only eight seats and decimating the Indian National Congress and all other contestants like RJD, JDU. The BJP has cocooned itself into introspection meetings following their defeat in the hands of a political novice, Kejriwal. The BJP campaign included those of Modi and Amit Shah.
The election defines the aspirations of people into more local issues, like electricity, water and clean air, which AAP has been honestly trying to provide. Despite stand to the contrary by the BJP, AAP has also profoundly contributed to the education sector.
From 28 seats in 2014 to 67 in 2016 AAP managed to win 62 seats now. The win also presents the maturity of voters, when they elected all seven members of Parliament from the BJP only months ago, in 2019, AAP scoring zero. However, the 2019 elections were for the Parliament, and now it is for the Assembly and local governance, where the citizens have preferred AAP over BJP.
One thing that does not miss the eye is the influence of Prashant Kishore and the sharp change in the campaign-style of Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP. He did not once abuse Modi or the BJP and steered clear of negative campaigning. He forsook skullcaps and shunned public hobnobbing with Imams and Maulvis like he used to do earlier. He did not visit Shaheen Bagh protestors or comment on the roadblock protests, save advising the Centre to intervene urgently. On the contrary, Kejriwal adopted a soft Hindutva, visiting Hanuman temples and chanting Bharat Mata ki Jai, stealing the religious weaponry from the BJP.
BJP is happy over the decimation of their avowed political adversaries; the Gandhis led Congress party. BJP alone could not have achieved the stunning but expected defeat of the Congress, which the AAP helped accomplish. Licking its wounds, Congress seems happy that AAP has dealt a body blow to the BJP. The defeat has made BJP, and in particular Amit Shah more vulnerable than ever.
Or was all this win and loss a grand plan, orchestrated by the BJP and AAP through their poll strategist Prashant Kishor? Is he a Trojan Horse working for BJP? How come such resounding mandate fail to reflect in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections? Was BJP less communal than now? Did the vociferous campaign on withdrawal of Art 370 in J & K, CAA and NRC non-issues for the Delhiites? Is Arvind Kejriwal a B-team of BJP? Many questions arise in mind for which there are no ready answers.
What cannot be overlooked is the type of governance by AAP, which was inclusive and development-oriented. Delhi people rejected polarization politics of the BJP.
Congress lost their deposit in 67 of the 70 seats it contested in this Delhi election. I have been writing for the last few years that the Indian National Congress must look for leaders beyond the uninspiring Sonia Gandhi and directionless Rahul Gandhi, besides a few sycophants like Kamal Nath, Ashok Gehlot and Digvijay Singh. Several young faces could energize the dying party. It is up to them to resuscitate the party, cremate or bury it.
It was in great tradition for PM Modi to wish Arvind Kejriwal on his massive win, which the latter responded with equal sincerity, expressing his desire to work closely with the Centre. That is all democracy is all about — my best wishes to Arvind Kejriwal on his third time electoral win.
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
