The Delhi Assembly elections will be decided today. The results will not only determine who controls the city for five years but will also leave a new imprint on the canvas of Indian democracy.
The vitriol achieved during the election campaign is still fresh. Although the campaign was for the Delhi elections, the way the issues were raised suggested that it was a national election. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fielded an entire brigade of “nationalists”. In the seven-decade-long history of Indian democracy, this was the first time that a party had deputed around 250 members of Parliament for a contest which included 70 assembly seats. During the election campaign, former party president and home minister Amit Shah led the charge. He addressed various gatherings in support of the party’s candidates and tried to convey his message through several rallies. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also addressed 12 election rallies. This effort, as characterized by the BJP’s electoral strategy, aimed to win a significant segment of votes from the majority community.
The BJP has made Prime Minister Narendra Modi its face in this election. But this time, he addressed only two public rallies. This indicated that the party was taking precautions to ensure that the brand Modi would remain uncontrolled if the result was unfavorable. This is despite the fact that the BJP has tried to pass the electoral examination by riding far-reaching decisions of the PM on issues such as triple talaq, Article 370 and Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
Its leaders also repeatedly referred to the dharna at Shaheen Bagh, accusing them of supporting political rivals. In response, senior leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) argued that the in-charge of law and order in the city had the power to vacate the dharna in Shaheen Bagh and, thus, responsibility. The law and order of Delhi come under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. The results will tell which argument resonates with the people of Delhi.
Assessments made prior to these elections projected the AAP to be clearly in pole position. That is why the BJP opted for an aggressive strategy from the beginning. Shah himself was at the helm of this strategy. If you look at his record, you will find that Shah contests every election as if it was his first and last fight. Kejriwal fought his record on education, electricity, water, and health. His honesty, administrative intent, and efficiency cannot be doubted. In such a situation, the BJP needed some extra efforts to get a proper place in the elections.
Will Delhi put an end to Shah’s aggression? Or will the Kejriwal government’s performance dominate it? What will be the effect of Congress’s dismal effort? Tuesday’s results will answer these questions. It will also shape Indian politics.
