New Delhi: It is now 'muffler man' Arvind Kejriwal versus 'magic man' Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the national capital Delhi. Both have already sounded the poll bugle. The 49-day chief minister of Delhi, Kejriwal has been relentlessly campaigning for his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for over two months. PM Modi sounded the bugle on Saturday at a public meeting in Delhi.
The AAP which is trying to make it a direct contest with the BJP is leaving no stone unturned. The BJP is alleging that the AAP has a tacit understanding with the Congress and the Congress which ruled Delhi for 15 years is now working as Kejriwal's 'B' team.
Delhi will vote for a new Assembly in single phase on February 7 while counting will take place three days later on 10.
It is very significant to note that the Congress which was a formidable ruling party in Delhi 13 months ago has now become a distant third player. After she lost the battle for Delhi to Kejriwal, Sheila Dikshit, who ruled as chief minister for 15 years, has taken a backseat. Her arch rival in the party Ajay Maken has now been named as the campaign chief of the party.
The BJP which narrowly lost the race to Delhi state government in December 2013 is making all possible efforts to capture the power this time. Last time, the BJP had Dr. Harsh Vardhan as its CM candidate. After he was elected to the Lok Sabha and became a Union minister, the BJP in Delhi has not projected any leader as its chief ministerial candidate.
The BJP campaign at local level is being headed by its state unit chief Satish Upadhyay, who keeps a low profile. According to insiders he has the complete backing of the RSS and the BJP President Amit Shah. Dr. Harsh Vardhan, the sober face of the BJP seems to have taken a backseat this time.
After its decimation in the Lok Sabha polls in May 2014, lot of people wrote the obituary of the AAP. The AAP had failed to win even a single Lok Sabha seat from Delhi. Surprisingly, the AAP seems to have gained some lost ground in the last two-three months. Its workers and leaders have been campaigning quietly across the city and the party has even put up huge bill boards of Kejriwal at many places in the national capital.
The AAP is questioning the PM Modi on his poll promises. It is calling his government 'only hype and no achievements' government. Kejriwal's campaign is being strategised by his close associate Prof. Yogendra Yadav. The AAP is once again promising slashing of the power and water tariff by 50% if it is voted to power. Kejriwal has apologised to the people for quitting the CM post in just 49 days and asking them to forgive him for the past mistakes.
Kejriwal's party is depending heavily on the votes of poor, lower class, lower middle class and the Muslims to put up a good fight. According to an AAP leader these votes are still with the AAP and the middle class may not back the AAP fully this time.
According to some political analysts, the Muslims are likely to vote for the AAP to prevent the march of the BJP in Delhi. The Muslims mostly voted for the Congress in the previous elections.
For the BJP, winning Delhi has now become a 'do or die' battle. Losing the election to Delhi Assembly may raise questions over PM Modi's popularity and charisma. The BJP is attacking the AAP non-stop and questioning its credentials to seek one more chance at the husting.
Even Modi called Kejriwal an anarchist and the AAP, a party of Naxals and Maoist sympathisers at his public meeting. "Have you ever seen a politician who calls himself an anarchist? If you are one, go to the jungle and join Naxalites. We cannot let Delhi be gripped by Naxalism. Delhi is the country's Capital. Here, decent people live," Modi thundered.
He added, "The country's politics is centred here. World mein Delhi ki ek shaan honi chahiye, wo shaan anarchy ki taraf nahi jane dena chahiye (The world must look up to Delhi. That image of Delhi can't be tarred by anarchy). Delhi needs governance, accountable government and people. Anarchy will not benefit Delhi, it will destroy it. We need to save Delhi, take it to new heights. I know the BJP will form a stable government."
The BJP is ridiculing Kejriwal for his antics and running away from the responsibility in just 49 days, in 2014. The BJP is also promising 24 hour power supply to all the households, if voted to power. It has also asked its 300 MPs to campaign across the city.
According to a senior journalist, this time there is no wave in Delhi. "It is now a level playing field. Nobody is a favourite," he said.
The AAP is showing some of its own election surveys to prove that it is ahead of the BJP. Some independent poll surveys done by various media houses claim that there is a dead heat contest between the BJP and the AAP in Delhi, this time.
The BJP is banking on the middle class and traditional voters of the party. It is also banking on the Jat votes in the rural areas of Delhi. BJP claims that Delhi will see a huge development under Modi, if the people vote for it.
The third player the Congress is looking lost and struggling to put up even a decent fight. There are talks of its Delhi unit chief Arvinder Singh Lovely not contesting in the election to lead the campaign. Local leaders of the Congress like Kapil Sibal, Jagadish Tytler and others are not showing any interest in the campaign and election.
The Modi versus Kejriwal battle will surely raise the political temperatures in cold Delhi during this winter.
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