BJP workers celebrate the party's victory in the Delhi Assembly election and UP's Milkipur by-election, in Varanasi, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025.
Credit: PTI Photo
Allegations of corruption against its leaders, constant tussle with the lieutenant governor over governance issues and a spirited campaign conducted by the BJP were enough to ensure a rout of the AAP in the Delhi Assembly polls, the results of which were declared on Saturday.
What will be more hurtful for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is the fact that its top guns -- Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain -- suffered defeats in their constituencies, a major setback for the party that had come to power on the anti-corruption plank.
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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 national capital.
The AAP was confident of retaining power in Delhi but corruption allegations against its top leaders and a rampant campaign by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), tagging Kejriwal and other leaders as corrupt, dented its image.
Here we see what worked in the BJP's favour.
Liquor 'scam' and corruption charges
The BJP's constant attacks on AAP supremo Kejriwal over the issue of renovation of the chief minister's residence, which it referred to as Sheesh Mahal, also paved the way for the party's loss in the keenly-contested polls.
Former Delhi chief minister Kejriwal, former deputy chief minister Sisodia and AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh were arrested in connection with the excise-policy case, while Satyendar Jain was arrested in another money-laundering case by the ED.
Even though the party and its leaders called these arrests the results of a "conspiracy" and "witch hunt" by the BJP, the voters, it seems, were not convinced.
Budget
The BJP crossed the halfway mark soon after counting began, and the trend continued as the day progressed. Some believe the notable income tax cuts announced in the Budget 2025, which was presented just a week before Delhi went to polls, helped the saffron party win the middle class' favour.
Division in I.N.D.I.A. bloc
The division in the I.N.D.I.A. bloc was laid bare in the Delhi elections as Congress and AAP attacked each other constantly despite pitching the BJP as their common enemy before the Lok Sabha polls when multiple opposition parties joined hands to form an alliance to take on the saffron party. In many seats, if anti-BJP votes got consolidated under one umbrella, I.N.D.I.A. bloc's performance could have been vastly different.
Air quality; Yamuna water
The contaminated water of the Yamuna river has long been an issue that multiple governments in Delhi have been unable to solve. Even Kejriwal admitted in some interviews ahead of the polls that this was one promise in which his party failed to deliver despite their consecutive victories in the last two Delhi Assembly polls.
The BJP frequently targetted the AAP on the Yamuna water issue during its campaigning for the polls, which now seems to have borne fruit. They had also promised to make Delhi an e-bus city during their campaigns, thus promising a cleaner future for residents of the national capital.
Multiple Sankalp Patras and multiple welfare schemes
The BJP kept the buzz alive regarding their poll promises by announcing them one-by-one instead of all together. This kept the buzz regarding their poll promises alive throughout the run of their campaign, and could have played a part in swaying voters in their favour.
Delhi assembly elections 2025 results | Get all latest updates here
Delhi assembly elections 2025 results | Get constituency-wise details here
Delhi Assembly Election 2025 | The Delhi Assembly Elections saw a fierce contest between AAP and BJP, while Congress despite its best attempts failed to make a mark. The saffron party is all set to make a comeback in the national capital after almost three decades as AAP chief Kejriwal has accepted the people's verdict and looks to be part of a constructive opposition. Reactions from all quarters are pouring in as BJP celebrates its first electoral win in 2025, with Bihar polls slated to take place later this year. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.
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