The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is banking on the work done by the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, just like in the 2015 assembly elections, to return to power in Delhi after a hiatus of 21 years.
With elections scheduled for February 8, the party is yet to take a final call on whether to project a chief ministerial face or let it be a ‘Modi versus Kejriwal’ contest in the national capital.
Stakes are high for the BJP this time, as the party won all the major elections—municipal elections in 2017 and Lok Sabha in 2019– held in the city after the 2015 assembly elections and registered an increase in its vote share. The BJP’s vote share in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Delhi increased to 56.5% from 47% in 2014.
BJP leaders say the present mood in Delhi is in its favour and the Centre has carried out major development work in the city despite not being in power. The party has decided to highlight the work done by the Centre and “expose” the ruling Aam Aadmi Party for “not fulfilling” its key promises.
The Centre, senior BJP leaders say, has completed or started work on road infrastructure projects such as completion of the eastern and western peripheral expressways, started the process to give ownership rights to residents of 1731 unauthorised colonies, and made amendments the Master Plan of Delhi-2021 to provide relief to traders from sealing among other things.
Union home minister and BJP chief Amit Shah tweeted, “This election is about fulfilling the dreams of poor people to own a house. It is about removing those from power who have deprived people of the benefit provided by the Centre under its Ayushman Bharat scheme. It is about punishing those who disrupt peace for vote bank politics.”
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said, “People of Delhi will form BJP government in Delhi just like they formed at the Centre (in 2014 and 2019) and municipal corporation.”
Strategy and issues
After the elections were announced on Monday, Shah took to Twitter asking party workers to go from door to door and tell people about the “historic work” done by the Modi government and expose those (AAP) who have posed hurdles in welfare schemes for people of Delhi. He also asked them to hold “mohalla meetings” .
BJP national secretary Tarun Chugh, convener of Delhi elections management committee, said, “We will go door to door and tell people about the Centre’s achievements. In our second term, the Modi government has taken key decisions not only for Delhi but for country within 7-8 months.”
The Centre’s decision to confer ownership rights to residents of 1,731 unauthorised colonies is a “masterstroke”, the party feels. With this decision, the party hopes to make a dent in AAP’s vote bank in unauthorised colonies, which earlier was with the Congress but which shifted completely to AAP in 2015, helping it in win 67 out of 70 assembly seats. The party has stepped up its campaign in unauthorised colonies. The BJP says that a 5-7% increase in vote share will be enough for it to return to power in Delhi.
“In 2015 when AAP won 67 seats, we were able to retain our vote share of 32-34%. Now the scenario has changed and is in our favour. Our government has done a lot of work for Delhi and people know this,” said Rajiv Babbar, co-convener of party’s Delhi election management committee.
CM face
The party is yet to decide whether announce a chief ministerial candidate or contest the election on the Modi government’s achievement, making it a ‘Kejriwal vs Modi’ contest.
In the past, the party’s decision to announce the CM face has not gone in its favour. The BJP’s decision to project former IPS Kiran Bedi as its chief ministerial candidate in 2015 proved disastrous. Bedi lost the election to AAP’s SK Bagga from Krishna Nagar and BJP was limited to three seats. It was for the first time the party’s CM face lost in Delhi.
BJP and allies
This time, too, the party will contest the elections along with its old and trusted ally, Shiromani Akali Dal SAD (Badal). On Monday, SAD (Badal) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal formed a three-member committee to hold talks with the BJP to decide a seat-sharing formula.
SAD (Badal) has been contesting from Hari Nagar, Kalkaji, Shahdara and Rajouri Garden assembly segments. “We have informed our party leadership that our leaders want to contest from Rajendra Nagar, Rohtas Nagar and Moti Nagar. The final decision will be taken by the party,” said Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Rajouri Garden MLA and SAD (Badal)’s national general secretary.
National issues in Delhi polls
Apart from local issues, BJP members say issues such as abrogation of 370 and article 35, construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, the Citizenship Amendment Act and triple talaq will also find mention in the party’s election campaign. “Our government has shown the courage to take bold decisions such as abrogation of 370, implement CAA, triple talaq among others,” said Rajya Sabha MP Vijay Goel.
