Defeat of AAP in Delhi Raises Questions About the Party’s Future
Krishnamohan Jha
The results of the Delhi Assembly elections have marked a significant political shift, bringing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) back to power after 27 years. BJP secured a majority by winning 48 out of 70 seats, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had formed the government with a massive majority in 2015 and 2020, was reduced to just 22 seats. Several senior AAP leaders, including its national convenor and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, senior leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj, Satyendra Jain, and Somnath Bharti, failed to retain their seats. However, Atishi Marlena managed to defeat BJP candidate and former MP Ramesh Bidhuri in the Kalkaji constituency. The Congress party, on the other hand, suffered a complete wipeout, failing to secure even a single seat. Senior Congress leaders like Sandeep Dikshit and Alka Lamba also faced humiliating defeats.
Commenting on the election results, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah remarked, “Keep fighting among yourselves,” indirectly blaming the internal conflicts between AAP and Congress for BJP’s resounding victory. It is worth noting that the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), an opposition coalition, includes both the Congress and AAP, along with Omar Abdullah’s National Conference. During the elections, the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party had extended their support to AAP. However, the fierce exchanges between AAP and Congress during the campaign did not sit well with the other coalition partners.
Although this was an assembly election for a Union Territory, it garnered nationwide attention. BJP’s emphatic return to power in Delhi after nearly three decades further reinforced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charismatic popularity. BJP candidate and former MP Parvesh Verma, who defeated Kejriwal by over 3,000 votes, is now a strong contender for the Chief Minister’s post.
Kejriwal’s Waning Influence
Like the previous three elections, AAP’s campaign was spearheaded by Arvind Kejriwal. He had placed his trusted aide Atishi Marlena as the chief ministerial face while taking full charge of the election campaign. The party’s official campaign song also focused entirely on glorifying Kejriwal. However, this time, his charisma seemed to have faded.
Unlike previous elections, where AAP faced a direct contest with BJP, this time, Congress aggressively entered the fray, making it a triangular battle. Kejriwal himself faced a tough challenge in the New Delhi constituency against Congress’s Sandeep Dikshit and BJP’s Parvesh Verma. Notably, both their mothers, Sheila Dikshit (Congress) and Sahib Singh Verma (BJP), had served as Delhi’s Chief Ministers in the past.
Throughout the campaign, Kejriwal fiercely attacked both BJP and Congress. However, his government was on the defensive over issues like Yamuna river pollution, air quality, and road infrastructure. He even publicly apologized for failing to clean the Yamuna, but his last-minute accusation that Haryana’s government was polluting the river backfired, drawing criticism from both BJP and Congress. Critics questioned why he had not raised the issue earlier.
Another major factor behind AAP’s downfall was the alleged liquor policy scam, which tarnished the party’s image. Moreover, allegations of Kejriwal’s luxurious lifestyle contradicted AAP’s claims of being a party of the common man. BJP and Congress capitalized on this, and Kejriwal failed to provide convincing answers to counter these narratives. His overconfidence and assumption that AAP was invincible in Delhi also proved costly.
Congress’ Aggressive Stance Against AAP
Congress, despite knowing that BJP would ultimately benefit if AAP lost, focused most of its campaign against Kejriwal and his party. Though Congress itself failed to win any seats, its efforts to weaken AAP might benefit Rahul Gandhi’s leadership within the INDIA alliance. Kejriwal, who was once seen as a potential challenger within the alliance, has now been significantly weakened. However, this raises another question: will Congress’ aggressive stance in Delhi cause further rifts within the opposition coalition?
AAP’s Uncertain Future
With BJP returning to power in Delhi after 27 years, Kejriwal now faces a serious existential crisis. Neither he nor his party secured enough seats to play a strong opposition role in the assembly. AAP’s defeat in Delhi could also impact the stability of its government in Punjab. The most critical challenge for Kejriwal is that he may no longer be able to maintain his uncontested leadership within the party.
Thus, the Delhi election results not only mark AAP’s downfall but also cast uncertainty over the party’s future.
