AAP's main challenge is keeping the flock together after the rout
Swept out of power in Delhi, the AAP's main battle could be keeping its flock together amid a depleting popularity among its voters.;
By : Avinash Prabhakar
Update: 2025-02-08 17:42 GMT
New Delhi: Swept out of power in Delhi, the AAP's main battle could be keeping its flock together amid a depleting popularity among its voters. Following the party’s crushing defeat, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, who sought to project himself as one of the main challengers to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stares at a long and lonely road ahead.
The loss of Delhi not only will weaken the AAP's grip on the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) but also make it difficult for the party in Punjab, which goes to poll in 2027. Amid the shifting sands in the national capital’s political dynamics, the party could face an exodus of its leaders in Punjab and elsewhere to the Opposition fold if they sense their winnability is compromised by remaining with the AAP.
Besides strong anti-incumbency, two issues, among others, which hit the AAP's prospects hard were Mr Kejriwal's remark that poison was being mixed in Yamuna and prioritising luxury over people’s welfare. Blaming the Opposition BJP for poisoning the Yamuna, considered sacred in the Indian tradition, was not only in bad taste but also baseless.
Local issues like poor sanitation, drinking water crisis, dilapidated roads and shortage of parking lots also worked against the AAP, which controls the MCD.
“There are chances that some municipal councillors may now switch over to the BJP,” a local AAP functionary told this newspaper, adding, “Our top priority should be to keep our councillors together, as they don’t fall under the ambit of the anti-defection laws.”
Going into polls, sensing strong anti-incumbency on the ground, the AAP had denied tickets to over 20 sitting MLAs and fielded new faces. The party also shifted former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia to Jangpura from Patparganj, the seat from where he won thrice and deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla from Manogolpuri to Madipur. Eight of the 20-odd MLAs who were denied tickets by the AAP had joined the BJP just ahead of elections.
“Some of the remaining disgruntled legislators may also join the saffron party in the coming weeks,” a local AAP leader said.
Allegations of corruption against its top leaders, constant bickering with the lieutenant-governor over governance issues and a spirited campaign by the BJP also paved the way for the AAP’s rout in the Delhi Assembly polls.
The contradictions in its promises of being against corruption and belief in an austere lifestyle were laid bare by the charges of extravagant renovation of his official bungalow "funded by the exchequer", which was dubbed as “sheesh mahal” by the BJP during electioneering.
Charges of corruption and money laundering against top AAP leaders, especially in the "liquor scam" ensured attrition of “Brand Kejriwal” in popular public perception and the BJP seems to have encashed the adversary’s weaknesses in the polls.
The party will have a lot to introspect in the coming days, as it will be for the first time since its inception that it will be serving as the Opposition in the city-state. Besides ensuring contact with the masses, the party will have to work hard to shed its image of a party which is always in conflict with the system.
The constant confrontation of the AAP government with the Centre over various issues of governance also seems to have played a leading role in defeat. With Mr Modi dubbing the AAP’s failures as “aapda” resonated well with the voters, leading to the AAP big guns like Mr Kejriwal, Mr Sisodia, Satyendar Jain and Saurabh Bharadwaj getting trumped in the polls.