Rout of opposition in Delhi Elections:

As per expectations, Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party won the Delhi elections and routed all other parties. The latter was a shock. Out of 70 total assembly seats AAP has won 67 seats remaining three being BJP 2 and SAD 1 seat. The projected Chief Ministerial candidate of BJP also lost. Everything went wrong for congress which lost it’s all seats. What made this happen? Right answer is almost obvious but is missed by politicians.

Anti incumbency:

BJP is in power in Delhi Municipal Corporation which is as poorly conducted as Congress led last Delhi Government. For last 7 months the Central Government is running Delhi through Lt. Governor but what is the result? Same as previous Govt. No new idea, no new plan, non responsive municipal Councillors, MLA’s busy in God knows what.
An example of inefficiency of BJP run MCD is here.

Combined opposition:

Every one voted for AAP. Minor parties supported AAP. Congress lost it’s vote share to AAP. This resulted in massive victory for AAP even if BJP’s vote share has fallen only marginally from previous election in 2013.

Lack of local leadership:

As stated in my previous post on the subject of Delhi Elections, Delhi BJP has no mass base leader. Bringing Kiran Bedi just a fortnight before election was an admission. It was also an admission that it’s Delhi unit’s is unable to perform and has no other presentable face after Delhi Chief Upadhyay was disgraced with involvement with faulty electricity meters installed under previous Government.

David v. Goliath factor:

Everyone hates Goliath and adore David. When all parties were chasing Modi in general elections of Parliament, masses chose him as David. The negative campaign of other parties backfired. However when it came to Delhi elections, BJP committed same mistake and not only started off on wrong foot but ended also on wrong foot of negativity. People chose David aka Kejriwal once again.

Popular promises:

Inside every human being is a child craving for toys and lollipop. The child wants to believe in Santa Claus and Tooth Fairy. Kejriwal promised too many lollipops. Free water, free wifi, cheap electricity, new colleges, jobs, cheap vegetables, cheap pulses and free house. So much so that not only 60% of Delhi living in slums but well off people also shifted their votes to AAP.

Prince and noblemen vs. common man:

Voters are human beings. Politicians frequently forget that. Actually all political parties have forgotten that for a long time. For them voter is just a number.

For past seven months, AAP volunteers were busy visiting every household especially in poor localities with cluster of votes while princes and noblemen of other parties were watching and enjoying speeches of Modi on TV. They thought that they will win the election by putting up the posters of Modi. Nobody thought it fit to pull the socks and work in constituency. MLA’s if wanted to get work done, could approach Lt. Governor but why work. They do not get elected to work. They get elected to supervise work and have their share of budgetary allocation spent in their constituency. Allegations are that they get a share in spending.
Visit Delhi and see the foolishness. Gleaming new signboards on broken roads and pavements. What a shame.
The tradition of elected representative to roam around in constituency and to meet people is almost unknown. They sit in their offices and attend assembly. They are afraid that people will point out undone work. Once I caught hold of municipal Councillor of of my area when he was sitting out side his now legal hotel pointing something. Nothing happened till date. Now he can not be seen in public. I asked his brother why showers are not working he gave some silly excuse but showers in park never got to work. They are from BJP. I presume that other were also be similar.
Similar is the issue of new voters. About 150 thousand new voters were added. While AAP workers helped young people and migrants from other parts of country to get them registered as voter in Delhi, BJP workers sat back and watched the show.
Delhi election is a wake up call for BJP if it has any long term plans. Law and order and attacks of churches offended every one not Christians but failure to catch the culprit added insult to injury and stamp of incompetence in you governance. Rhetoric talk indicating ‘Hindu Tyranny’ did not help cosmopolitan Delhi as well.
Another example: my two land line phones from state owned provider are not working for last four or five days. One is dead other has no internet. Yesterday or before that I tweeted to Minister of Telecommunication and received no response. If I tweet to any private company they respond as a duty. But BJP Minister perhaps do not read the public tweet. I do not expect him to respond personally but some one must have responded. This is yet not the democracy, the BJP think it too be.

These are the reasons I could think of. Please feel free to leave your thought or suggestion.
BTW I am getting standby electricity generator serviced. Electricity and water when promised cheap has tendency to disappear randomly. Summer is not very far and may be harsher.

Related Posts:

AAP v. BJP

Delhi Elections 2013

Inner Party Democracy