Despite Setback In Delhi, AAP To Remain A Political Force Of Reckoning

2025-02-09 12:12:10

(MENAFN- The Arabian Post)

By Dr. Gyan Pathak

Despite Political setback in Delhi Vidhan Sabha election and loss of power to BJP, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will remain a political force of reckoning. AAP's huge voter support base is intact, and election result shows that the BJP could win by only about a small margin of about 2.26 per cent of votes, which will keep AAP's local and national ambitions alive. The political analysts predicting uncertain political future of AAP and its supremo Arvind Kejriwal, loss of their political credibility among electorates and within INDIA bloc, and their national ambition shattered, are perhaps overstatements.

The provisional data of votes counted by 4 PM show that AAP was able to bag 43.62 per cent of votes as against BJP's 45.88 per cent. This loss by a small margin of about only 2.26 per cent, shows that AAP could perform wonderfully well despite being fallen in BJP's very powerful political and administrative trap.

During the election campaigns, AAP have been alleging that their rank and file were being intimidated by Delhi police and BJP's hooligans, Central investigating agencies targeting them, Lieutenant Governor and officials of Delhi Government working against them, and the election machinery has been targeting them, and so on, which are still matters of investigation.

AAP, its supremo Arvind Kejriwal and several leaders of the party were earlier arrested on corruption charges, though all of them were on bail. Not only the BJP leadership including PM Narendra Modi and Union Minister of Home Amit Shah, but also the Congress leaders, even Rahul Gandhi, targeted Kejriwal and his party calling them corrupt. AAP survived the political attacks, if the share of votes is of any indication.

Despite losing election, Kejriwal has still saved his status as a political hero in Delhi who gave a very tough electoral fight to the BJP leadership especially PM Narendra Modi, who have been campaigning against Kejriwal and AAP.

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As for the Congress is concerned, it could bag only about 6.36 per cent of votes, which is a small increase of about two per cent, compared to what the party got in the Delhi Vidhan Sabha election 2020. Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi's influence in Delhi remains insignificant.

Delhi election result thus shows that AAP and Kejriwal are still the greatest secular political force, and the chief opposition to the BJP rule and its communal political agenda. Therefore, in a secular democratic federal politics of the country, AAP is going to stay locally and nationally, a significant political force.

The very big vote share of the AAP also shows that Kejriwal political stance of people's welfare was in the right direction, and unwavering. BJP has, in fact, followed the AAP's line of giving promises in regard to social welfare schemes. BJP promised more than AAP, and also continuance of AAP's all welfare programmes being implemented in Delhi.

It will continue to attract common people, and non-BJP political parties towards AAP, across all states in the country. In the states like Punjab, Goa, and Gujarat, non-BJP voters will have no options, but to support the AAP. AAP's national aspirations will thus not be affected on account of loss of power in Delhi.

AAP's national aspirations will rather become stronger on account of political loss of Congress. The party lost in almost all states where it was in direct battle with BJP. The key states where party lost were Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Haryana. In the recent election in Maharashtra and Delhi, Congress's performance remained miserable. The bitterness with which Congress and AAP fought Delhi election would prevent them to join hands in the near future. AAP will try its best to concentrate in the states where Congress has been declining political force. Congress is not in a position to reverse its political fortune in Delhi and Punjab. AAP has every possibility to rebound in Delhi while retaining upper hand in Punjab.

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As for INDIA bloc, the key non-Congress allies like Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress was supporting AAP. In fact, no political party in the country can afford to ignore AAP and Kejriwal in Delhi or in Punjab. In both the states, AAP to retain its upper hand over the Congress. In Delhi, as chief opposition the BJP, AAP's relevance is intact.

Nevertheless, Delhi election result has a potential to trigger a realignment of political forces within INDIA bloc. It is to be seen, if INDIA bloc survives, with or without the Congress or AAP. There was already a demand of leadership change in INDIA bloc, while AAP has been demanding ouster of Congress from INDIA bloc.

Defeat in Delhi election has certainly increased the political challenges lying before the AAP and its leadership, especially Kejriwal, but his remaining huge support base will keep their hope and aspirations alive. BJP and its leadership will have a hard time ahead, even when they have been able to come to power in Delhi after a long gap since 1998, with a strong foothold. The very small margin by which they won this election will keep them politically active as a ruling party in the symbolically important National Capital Territory of Delhi. (IPA Service )

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