India

5 Reasons AAP Lost Delhi NCR – BJP Registers Another Win

This Sunday had the people of Delhi vote in the MCD elections for which all three parties – Aam Aadmi Party, Bharatiya Janta Party and Congress – had been campaigning for months. On one hand, BJP has maintained its dominance in MCD for past two terms (10 years), and had a reputation to lose, both AAP and Congress were hoping to break through the BJP defense and take the capital away from the ruling party. The elections on Sunday had low turnout, which is usually the case in metros. But looking at the results today, it is clear that the AAP wave, if not dead already, then is on the verge of it. However, this is not to be assumed that Aam Aadmi Party can never make a comeback in the Indian political scene given the short memory span of our voters.

Here are the following five reasons are given which we think AAP could not work its magic in the MCD elections –

1. BJP’s popular and evergreen development agenda –

BJP, to be fair, has established itself as the only party working for the development of the nation in the popular narrative. And nothing seems to shake that in the mind of the common man. The effect of BJP can be understood by the way people have voted for the party even after multiple allegations of corruption and not-so-applaudable performance of the MCD. However, nothing the party has done in the last ten years of its rule has changed the temperament of the voters, which was clear by the low turn out as well.

2. AAP’s diminished utility –

When the Aam Aadmi Party made waves in 2013-14, it was a breath of fresh air for the voters of India who were torn between the Hindutva narrative of BJP and corruption of Congress. The party, to its followers, appeared to be a departure from the existent socio-political scenario. However, with passing time, the party has resorted to the old tricks of the trade, with shifting blame games between the centre and Delhi, and pointing fingers. Therefore it is not too surprising that the people of Delhi have chosen the party in centre only to represent them in MCD, hoping for better implementation and strategising.

3. EVM drama –

The AAP has regularly questioned the working of the Election Commission of India for its defeat in bypolls, which shows the party as incapable of accepting the majority’s decision humbly. The losses in Punjab and Goa have already put the Party in bad light showing their immature shenanigans.

4. Rajouri Garden Bypoll defeat

The voters of Rajouri Garden made sure that AAP gets humiliated for its MP’s sudden desertion of his own constituency to fight election in Punjab. It was perceived unprofessional and opportunistic by the people when Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal failed to fulfil many promises he made to Delhi and kept aiming for national level politics. This loss indicates what we all knew very well all along – AAP needs to up its game else it will be sitting out of the playground before we know it.

5. Modi Modi –

It has now become a daunting task for any party to defeat BJP at national level given the image that PM Modi has created of himself in the past three years. With the upcoming 2019 elections, Delhi MCD win was a must for BJP, and by having won it, the party has proved that no one and nothing can stop the juggernaut now. Also, if this was not obvious a week before, then it is now that the Modi wave can not be chained, not today and not in the upcoming national elections.

Amidst all this, it remains to be seen what the fate of AAP would be. With its representatives again commenting about the faulty EVMs, it will be an entertaining week to look out for.

About the author

Shruti Bhatt

Shruti Bhatt is an engineering graduate, consumed with her passions day in and day out. An avid moviemaniac, a foodie, a bibliophile, and coffee-fashion-music enthusiast, Ms. Bhatt is on the way of becoming a raconteur - the word she is most fascinated with.