January 5, 2025: Ahead of the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections, Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit launched a scathing attack on both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal, accusing them of only focusing on development projects and welfare schemes just before the elections. Dikshit, who is contesting from the New Delhi Vidhan Sabha, argued that both Modi and Kejriwal are using these initiatives as election tactics, and questioned why these projects had not been started earlier, especially given the 10 years of BJP rule and AAP’s governance in Delhi.
Dikshit pointed out the timing of these announcements, accusing both leaders of neglecting their responsibilities for years and now focusing on development only because the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) for the elections is expected to be enforced soon. He said, “People understand all this is being done just because elections are around the corner. Kejriwal and PM Modi are doing the same thing. Both of them keep raising questions on one another but neither of them can answer why all these development projects were not started in the last 10 years.”
He added that it was “unfortunate” that both Modi and Kejriwal, in positions of power, only seem to focus on development as elections approach, rather than addressing issues earlier in their tenures.
In his comments, Dikshit took a shot at the BJP and AAP, claiming that while other parties are “distributing money,” Congress is focused on discussing real development issues. He also questioned the performance of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) under the BJP’s governance, saying, “We will ask the BJP also why the MCD destroyed Delhi. What has DDA done in the last 10 years?”
Dikshit emphasized that Congress would contest the election based on its record during its time in power in Delhi, highlighting the shortcomings of both the BJP and AAP governments. “We are not fighting with anyone. We are here to talk about the development in New Delhi,” he said.
This criticism comes after PM Modi’s inauguration of 1,675 newly constructed flats for JJ cluster residents under the In-Situ Slum Rehabilitation Project at Swabhiman Apartments in Ashok Vihar, Delhi. Modi’s visit also included a significant push for infrastructure development, as he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for development projects worth over Rs 12,200 crore in Delhi. These included the Namo Bharat Train and a 13 km stretch of the Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut Namo Bharat corridor, which is valued at around Rs 4,600 crore.
In another political development, the BJP released its first list of candidates for the Delhi Assembly elections, fielding Parvesh Verma from the New Delhi seat, where he will take on Arvind Kejriwal. The AAP had a dominant showing in the last Delhi Assembly elections, winning 62 out of 70 seats in 2020, and 67 out of 70 seats in 2015.
As the election season heats up, the political discourse in Delhi is likely to revolve around development, governance, and accountability, with Congress positioning itself as a critical player between the BJP’s national ambitions and AAP’s local governance model.