The seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi goes to the polls today (May 25), during the sixth phase of 2024 general elections. This time, Delhi is poised for one of the most high-stakes elections in its history for several reasons. Firstly, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently out on interim bail granted by the Supreme Court, faces a crucial test. Kejriwal must prove whether the people of Delhi continue to support him and the party despite numerous corruption allegations.
If the AAP-Congress alliance, which has not won any Lok Sabha seats in Delhi since 2014, manages to secure some victories, it would be a significant boost for AAP, especially at a time when many of its top leaders are imprisoned and Kejriwal is scheduled to return to jail on June 2.
For the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), this election is equally critical. The party has replaced all its MPs except Manoj Tiwari with new candidates, emphasising a fresh start. The BJP has been consistently targeting AAP over corruption issues, making this election a litmus test for its narrative.
Lastly, the Congress, which has been losing ground to the AAP, is contesting this election in alliance with the AAP. Despite internal dissent and the breaking away of some state unit members over the alliance, the Congress high command has maintained its commitment. A poor performance could indicate that vote transfer between AAP and Congress is ineffective, potentially jeopardising the future of this alliance in Delhi and beyond.
Here are the pains and gains of the three leading parties in the fray:
Aam Aadmi Party
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) finds itself in a precarious situation. Over the past few years, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has managed to craft a narrative that paints the AAP, a party born out of an anti-corruption movement, as corrupt. This image is further reinforced by the fact that several of its top leaders, including former Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, are either in jail or out on bail. Even Arvind Kejriwal, the party’s leader, is out on interim bail.
As the AAP gears up for the Lok Sabha elections, it faces a slew of challenges. Kejriwal is due to return to jail on June 2nd, and if the party’s performance is lacklustre, there could be pressure from a potential BJP-led central government to dislodge the AAP-led Delhi government. Kejriwal, however, has no plans to resign from his post as Chief Minister.
If the AAP underperforms, insiders fear that the BJP might attempt to fracture the party. This is because a poor performance could lead to unrest among the party’s cadres, supporters, and leaders, who may start to believe that the AAP has lost its footing in Delhi.
Despite being in power in Delhi since 2013, the AAP has yet to win a single Lok Sabha seat. It lost all the seats in Delhi in both the 2014 and 2019 elections. Winning even a single seat or forming an alliance would be considered a gain for the party.
The AAP believes that Kejriwal’s arrest has generated a wave of sympathy for him, which could work in his favour. The Kejriwal government has consistently provided freebies and carried out development work for all sections of society, particularly women and the poor. The AAP has a distinct vote bank in Delhi, comprising people from all communities and sections, but primarily Muslims, women, and slum dwellers, who have directly benefited from the AAP’s schemes and work in areas such as education, health infrastructure, and power infrastructure.
This could play a crucial role in the upcoming elections. In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced its candidates for Delhi. Kuldeep Kumar will contest from East Delhi, Somnath Bharthi from New Delhi, Mahabal Mishra from West Delhi, and Sahiram Pehalwan from South Delhi. The elections are scheduled for May 25, 2024. AAP, founded by Arvind Kejriwal in 2012, has seen rapid growth, capturing power in Punjab and Delhi. For these elections, AAP has allied with Congress, but is contesting solo in Punjab and four seats in Delhi.
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finds itself at a crossroads in Delhi. Despite securing all seven Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 and 2019 elections, the party’s organisational strength in the capital remains questionable. Given Delhi’s status as the national capital, the BJP wields considerable power. The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, the Delhi Development Authority, law and order, and the transfer and posting of bureaucrats all fall under the purview of the BJP-led central government. This presents the BJP with a golden opportunity to expand its support base, but it has failed to capitalise on it.
In recent elections, the BJP has had to replace key candidates who had previously been MPs from Delhi. This time around, only Manoj Tiwary, a two-term MP from North East Delhi, is contesting. Complaints have been raised about the unavailability of MPs, even during the Covid-19 crisis when the capital’s health infrastructure was on the brink of collapse.
Over the past few years, the BJP has been fervently trying to paint the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a corrupt political entity, hoping that these allegations will help it gain support in Delhi. It remains to be seen whether this narrative resonates with Delhi’s electorate. Some believe that the BJP’s decision to arrest Arvind Kejriwal just before the election was a misstep, as it may have garnered sympathy for the AAP.
It’s important to note that since the AAP’s inception, the BJP has maintained a steady vote share of 35% to 40%. In Lok Sabha elections, a segment of the electorate, often considered as floating voters, tends to support the BJP, but shifts towards the AAP in assembly elections. This election will be a litmus test for the BJP to see if it can uphold the perception that Delhi’s populace supports Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha elections.
Praveen Khandelwal will contest from Chandni Chowk, Manoj Tiwari from North East Delhi, Harsh Malhotra from East Delhi, Bansuri Swaraj from New Delhi, Yogender Chandolia from North West Delhi, Kamaljeet Sehrawat from West Delhi, and Ramvir Singh Bidhuri from South Delhi.
Indian National Congress
The political landscape of Delhi has undergone a seismic shift since the emergence of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2013. The once-dominant Congress has seen its influence wane, its voter base eroded by the AAP’s meteoric rise. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on the other hand, has managed to hold onto its core supporters. In a surprising turn of events, the Congress leadership, including President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, has opted for an electoral alliance with the AAP, contesting only three of the seven seats in the capital.
This decision has not been without controversy. Congress insiders report that the state committee was vehemently opposed to the alliance, fearing it would spell the end for the party’s organisational structure in Delhi. This sentiment echoes the Punjab state unit’s successful resistance to a similar alliance. The consequences in Delhi have been stark: the resignation of Delhi Pradesh Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, who defected to the BJP, and the departure of several key leaders, disillusioned by the partnership with the AAP.
The state leadership has also raised questions about the selection of candidates, with accusations of parachuting outsiders like Kanhaiya Kumar and Udit Raj into the fray. Only Congress stalwart JP Agarwal has received a party ticket from Chandni Chowk.
On the ground, the AAP appears to be shouldering the campaign burden for Congress, highlighting the latter’s diminished organisational muscle. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, fresh from securing interim bail, has thrown his weight behind Congress candidates. The critical question now is whether AAP supporters will reciprocate by voting for Congress. If the AAP-Congress alliance secures a significant number of seats, it could herald a new era for coalition politics in India’s Hindi heartland. Yet, despite the formal alliance, there’s a palpable distance maintained by the Congress high command, with Rahul Gandhi’s recent rallies being a rare show of support, in contrast to the conspicuous absence of other top leaders like Priyanka Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.
As Delhi goes to the polls, the success or failure of this alliance will not only determine the immediate electoral outcome but also set a precedent for future political collaborations in India. The stakes are high, and the results will reverberate far beyond the borders of the capital.
If the AAP-Congress alliance, which has not won any Lok Sabha seats in Delhi since 2014, manages to secure some victories, it would be a significant boost for AAP, especially at a time when many of its top leaders are imprisoned and Kejriwal is scheduled to return to jail on June 2.
For the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), this election is equally critical. The party has replaced all its MPs except Manoj Tiwari with new candidates, emphasising a fresh start. The BJP has been consistently targeting AAP over corruption issues, making this election a litmus test for its narrative.
Lastly, the Congress, which has been losing ground to the AAP, is contesting this election in alliance with the AAP. Despite internal dissent and the breaking away of some state unit members over the alliance, the Congress high command has maintained its commitment. A poor performance could indicate that vote transfer between AAP and Congress is ineffective, potentially jeopardising the future of this alliance in Delhi and beyond.
Here are the pains and gains of the three leading parties in the fray:
Aam Aadmi Party
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) finds itself in a precarious situation. Over the past few years, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has managed to craft a narrative that paints the AAP, a party born out of an anti-corruption movement, as corrupt. This image is further reinforced by the fact that several of its top leaders, including former Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain, former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, are either in jail or out on bail. Even Arvind Kejriwal, the party’s leader, is out on interim bail.
As the AAP gears up for the Lok Sabha elections, it faces a slew of challenges. Kejriwal is due to return to jail on June 2nd, and if the party’s performance is lacklustre, there could be pressure from a potential BJP-led central government to dislodge the AAP-led Delhi government. Kejriwal, however, has no plans to resign from his post as Chief Minister.
If the AAP underperforms, insiders fear that the BJP might attempt to fracture the party. This is because a poor performance could lead to unrest among the party’s cadres, supporters, and leaders, who may start to believe that the AAP has lost its footing in Delhi.
Despite being in power in Delhi since 2013, the AAP has yet to win a single Lok Sabha seat. It lost all the seats in Delhi in both the 2014 and 2019 elections. Winning even a single seat or forming an alliance would be considered a gain for the party.
The AAP believes that Kejriwal’s arrest has generated a wave of sympathy for him, which could work in his favour. The Kejriwal government has consistently provided freebies and carried out development work for all sections of society, particularly women and the poor. The AAP has a distinct vote bank in Delhi, comprising people from all communities and sections, but primarily Muslims, women, and slum dwellers, who have directly benefited from the AAP’s schemes and work in areas such as education, health infrastructure, and power infrastructure.
This could play a crucial role in the upcoming elections. In the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced its candidates for Delhi. Kuldeep Kumar will contest from East Delhi, Somnath Bharthi from New Delhi, Mahabal Mishra from West Delhi, and Sahiram Pehalwan from South Delhi. The elections are scheduled for May 25, 2024. AAP, founded by Arvind Kejriwal in 2012, has seen rapid growth, capturing power in Punjab and Delhi. For these elections, AAP has allied with Congress, but is contesting solo in Punjab and four seats in Delhi.
Bharatiya Janata Party
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finds itself at a crossroads in Delhi. Despite securing all seven Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 and 2019 elections, the party’s organisational strength in the capital remains questionable. Given Delhi’s status as the national capital, the BJP wields considerable power. The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, the Delhi Development Authority, law and order, and the transfer and posting of bureaucrats all fall under the purview of the BJP-led central government. This presents the BJP with a golden opportunity to expand its support base, but it has failed to capitalise on it.
In recent elections, the BJP has had to replace key candidates who had previously been MPs from Delhi. This time around, only Manoj Tiwary, a two-term MP from North East Delhi, is contesting. Complaints have been raised about the unavailability of MPs, even during the Covid-19 crisis when the capital’s health infrastructure was on the brink of collapse.
Over the past few years, the BJP has been fervently trying to paint the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as a corrupt political entity, hoping that these allegations will help it gain support in Delhi. It remains to be seen whether this narrative resonates with Delhi’s electorate. Some believe that the BJP’s decision to arrest Arvind Kejriwal just before the election was a misstep, as it may have garnered sympathy for the AAP.
It’s important to note that since the AAP’s inception, the BJP has maintained a steady vote share of 35% to 40%. In Lok Sabha elections, a segment of the electorate, often considered as floating voters, tends to support the BJP, but shifts towards the AAP in assembly elections. This election will be a litmus test for the BJP to see if it can uphold the perception that Delhi’s populace supports Narendra Modi in Lok Sabha elections.
Praveen Khandelwal will contest from Chandni Chowk, Manoj Tiwari from North East Delhi, Harsh Malhotra from East Delhi, Bansuri Swaraj from New Delhi, Yogender Chandolia from North West Delhi, Kamaljeet Sehrawat from West Delhi, and Ramvir Singh Bidhuri from South Delhi.
Indian National Congress
The political landscape of Delhi has undergone a seismic shift since the emergence of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2013. The once-dominant Congress has seen its influence wane, its voter base eroded by the AAP’s meteoric rise. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on the other hand, has managed to hold onto its core supporters. In a surprising turn of events, the Congress leadership, including President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, has opted for an electoral alliance with the AAP, contesting only three of the seven seats in the capital.
This decision has not been without controversy. Congress insiders report that the state committee was vehemently opposed to the alliance, fearing it would spell the end for the party’s organisational structure in Delhi. This sentiment echoes the Punjab state unit’s successful resistance to a similar alliance. The consequences in Delhi have been stark: the resignation of Delhi Pradesh Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, who defected to the BJP, and the departure of several key leaders, disillusioned by the partnership with the AAP.
The state leadership has also raised questions about the selection of candidates, with accusations of parachuting outsiders like Kanhaiya Kumar and Udit Raj into the fray. Only Congress stalwart JP Agarwal has received a party ticket from Chandni Chowk.
On the ground, the AAP appears to be shouldering the campaign burden for Congress, highlighting the latter’s diminished organisational muscle. AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, fresh from securing interim bail, has thrown his weight behind Congress candidates. The critical question now is whether AAP supporters will reciprocate by voting for Congress. If the AAP-Congress alliance secures a significant number of seats, it could herald a new era for coalition politics in India’s Hindi heartland. Yet, despite the formal alliance, there’s a palpable distance maintained by the Congress high command, with Rahul Gandhi’s recent rallies being a rare show of support, in contrast to the conspicuous absence of other top leaders like Priyanka Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.
As Delhi goes to the polls, the success or failure of this alliance will not only determine the immediate electoral outcome but also set a precedent for future political collaborations in India. The stakes are high, and the results will reverberate far beyond the borders of the capital.
First Published: May 25, 2024 11:25 AM IST
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