In a significant pre-poll development, the Delhi High Court on Friday rejected a plea by BJP MLAs to convene a special assembly session to discuss the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report. The report sharply criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for alleged financial irregularities. With the Delhi assembly elections slated for February 5, the ruling raises crucial questions: is this a setback for the BJP or a momentary reprieve for the embattled AAP?
The court’s rejection seems to stem from practical constraints. With the election campaign at its zenith, convening a special session at this stage was deemed infeasible. This outcome, however, provides much-needed breathing room for the AAP, which is already grappling with relentless attacks from its political rivals—the BJP and the Congress.
Both parties have intensified their campaigns, targeting AAP’s perceived failure to uphold its self-proclaimed “anti-corruption” stance. The BJP, in particular, has focused on AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, who has faced graft allegations in the multi-crore Delhi Excise Policy scam. Kejriwal’s stint in Tihar jail before securing bail has become a potent symbol of AAP’s credibility crisis. Compounding this is the involvement of other senior AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, in similar corruption cases.
The BJP is seizing the moment, portraying AAP as a party that betrayed Delhi’s mandate. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm of the BJP’s campaign, flanked by Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda, and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the party appears confident of unseating AAP. BJP leaders are using every opportunity to drive home their narrative of providing “corruption-free governance” across states under their rule. Yogi Adityanath, in particular, has added sharp rhetoric to the campaign, responding to Opposition criticism of his holy dip at the Kumbh Mela by challenging Kejriwal and his ministers: “Will they take a bath in the Yamuna as they did it?”
Political analysts suggest the BJP’s strategy is bolstered by AAP’s waning public trust, a stark contrast to its landslide victory in the previous election. While Kejriwal is leading AAP’s campaign alongside Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, his personal aspirations to retain the Chief Minister’s seat appear dim amid growing public skepticism.
The Congress, though diminished in recent years, has stepped up its campaign to challenge both AAP and BJP. While a Congress resurgence in Delhi remains uncertain, its consistent attacks on AAP’s governance add to Kejriwal’s woes, further dividing the anti-BJP vote bank.
Although the BJP failed to leverage the CAG report in a special assembly session, it is unlikely to let this setback hinder its campaign. Party strategists may distribute the report widely, using it as a tool to underscore AAP’s alleged duplicity. The BJP’s messaging emphasizes its governance track record and its ability to fulfill electoral promises, presenting itself as the only viable alternative to AAP.
The key question remains: how will Delhi voters react? The court’s decision may have shielded AAP from immediate public scrutiny, but it does not erase the larger narrative of its governance failures. With the BJP and Congress intensifying their attacks, the AAP faces an uphill battle to regain voter confidence.
As the election date nears, the outcome will depend on whether voters choose to punish AAP for its alleged misdeeds or give it another chance. For now, the BJP seems poised to capitalize on the prevailing sentiment, leaving no stone unturned to secure a decisive victory.
