Delhi Assembly elections 2025: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday announced the schedule of the Delhi Assembly polls 2025, setting the stage for a high-octane election battle between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The national capital will vote on February 5 and the results will be declared on February 8. The Congress is the third biggest party in Delhi, striving for a revival of its electoral ground. The grand old party drew nil in the last two elections. It is unlikely that Congress would do any miracle.
As far as the BJP's poll prospects are concerned in Delhi, the saffron party is hopeful to end the 27-year-long drought riding corruption charges against key leaders of AAP and anti-incumbency.
The BJP is making all-out attempts to come back to power in Delhi after over two decades focussing on its slogan "Parivartan" (change) and a targeted campaign against the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP over scam allegations, including liquor policy case.
Aapda (AAP) nahi sahenge: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 'Parivartan Rally' in Rohini last week coined the AAP government as 'Aapda' (disaster). He made the party's intentions clear giving the call "Aapda (AAP) nahi sahenge, badal kar rahenge" (won't tolerate the disaster (AAP), will bring change").
Here is a SWOT - strength, weakness, opportunities, threat - analysis of the BJP
BJP's strength in Delhi
- Strong organisational presence up to booth level in all 70 assembly segments in Delhi. The saffron party held thousands of small reach-out meetings with targeted groups and communities paying focus on slums and unauthorised colonies months ahead of polls.
- A sustained campaign for change in public perception by highlighting corruption issues like "Sheesh Mahal" and the "liquor scam" that forced Arvind Kejriwal to step down as Delhi chief minister.
- Effectively raising civic issues like water scarcity, supply of polluted water, air pollution, waterlogging during rains, damaged roads, and poor public bus transport.
- A general anti-incumbency against the AAP ruling in Delhi since 2015, especially against its MLAs.
- The BJP sought to take advantage of this weak point of the AAP issuing 'charge sheets' that listed failures of its MLAs in various constituencies.
- The BJP managed to retain all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi for the third time in a row, in the parliamentary polls held last May.
- The BJP candidates also got more votes than those of AAP in 52 out of 70 assembly segments divided among seven Lok Sabha seats.
Weakness of BJP
- The BJP has been unable to project a local leader to challenge Kejriwal as chief ministerial candidate.
- The party has announced only 29 candidates so far and 41 others are yet to be declared although the polls will be held on February 5.
- The BJP has so far failed to come up with announcements to tackle AAP's promises like honorarium to women and priests.
- PM Modi has, however, assured that the public welfare schemes of the current government will continue.
- The BJP has a poor record of victory in 12 reserved and 8 minority-dominated seats.
- The party failed to win even one of these seats in 2015 and 2020 assembly polls.
Opportunities for BJP
- The BJP leaders believe party is in best shape to end its dry run of over 27 years in Delhi because of dent in Kejriwal's image due to corruption charges and problems faced by people under AAP rule.
- The saffron party is in a position to defeat the AAP in Delhi ending its over-a-decade-long political dominance and diminish Kejriwal who has emerged as a challenge to the party at the national level.
- The BJP may deepen its political roots in Delhi if it comes to power, backed by its government at the Centre.
Threat for BJP
The BJP has an uphill task against the AAP which has a strong support base in the slums, unauthorised colonies, minority-dominated areas, and lower-middle-class localities. The saffron party has so far fielded 8 outsiders who switched to the party from AAP and Congress and some more could get tickets as 41 candidates are yet to be announced. Some party leaders claim dissent among local BJP leaders and workers in such constituencies.
(With PTI inputs)
