As the Delhi Assembly elections draw near, political parties are intensifying their campaigns. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), represented by senior leaders like Home Minister Amit Shah, are making their final pitches to voters.
AAP’s Campaign Highlights
Arvind Kejriwal emphasized AAP’s welfare initiatives, highlighting 24-hour electricity, free water supply, quality education, and healthcare. Criticizing BJP, Kejriwal alleged:
“The BJP model gives public money as loans to billionaire friends, while the AAP model focuses on welfare for the people.”
At a rally in Jangpura, Kejriwal urged voters:
“Vote for AAP if you want zero electricity bills. If you want hefty bills, vote for BJP.”
Senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia, contesting from Jangpura, promised improved governance, stating:
“If I become MLA, the people of Jangpura will have direct access to governance through me.”
BJP’s Counterattack
BJP leaders accused AAP of misgovernance and corruption. Addressing a rally in Narela, Amit Shah remarked:
“Under Kejriwal, Delhi has deteriorated. Double-engine governments in other states have achieved progress, but Delhi struggles with waterlogging, dirty water, and garbage.”
Shah also alleged that AAP insulted Purvanchali voters, questioning their right to vote in Delhi.
BJP candidate Parvesh Verma accused AAP of distributing cash to influence votes. Verma claimed:
“AAP workers are distributing Rs 500 wrapped in calendars in slum areas.”
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, campaigning for Verma, declared:
“Delhi will be free from Kejriwal on February 8.”
The Road Ahead
The elections are set for February 5, with vote counting scheduled for February 8. 699 candidates are contesting for 70 Assembly seats.
AAP, aiming for a third term, is up against the BJP, which has been out of power in Delhi for nearly three decades. Meanwhile, the Congress, once dominant in Delhi politics, has struggled in the last two elections, failing to secure a single seat.
AAP previously won a landslide in 2015 (67 seats) and 2020 (62 seats), leaving BJP with only three and eight seats, respectively. The final days of campaigning will be crucial in determining whether AAP retains power or BJP makes a comeback.