Synopsis
Kejriwal's once-powerful political brand has diminished under Modi's campaign, leading to significant losses in the Delhi Assembly elections. This defeat raises concerns about the AAP's future and potential disintegration, especially in Punjab.Key Takeaways
- Kejriwal lost his New Delhi seat to BJP’s Parvesh Verma.
- The AAP faces potential internal crises and disintegration.
- Repeated parliamentary election failures indicate vulnerability.
- Kejriwal's reliance on defectors highlights his waning appeal.
- Modi's assurance of continuity in welfare schemes undermined Kejriwal’s campaign.
New Delhi, Feb 8 (NationPress) The influence of Arvind Kejriwal, which has dominated the last three Delhi Assembly elections and led to victories in city civic elections, has diminished under the campaign spearheaded by PM Narendra Modi.
Kejriwal not only lost his long-held New Delhi seat to BJP's Parvesh Verma, but his appeal also fell short in helping other AAP candidates, including Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, secure victories.
The ramifications of losing control of the 'Delhi Darbar' may extend beyond the Capital, with experts suggesting that the AAP could face a significant crisis unless Kejriwal addresses the growing discontent within his party. The potential disintegration of the AAP in Punjab is viewed by analysts as a likely scenario.
The AAP's ongoing failures in the Parliamentary elections in Delhi highlighted that it wouldn’t remain invincible indefinitely. It took the BJP three elections to overpower this young political entity that arose from an anti-corruption movement and established itself as one of the country's most successful political startups.
The latest Delhi Assembly election served as a major challenge for Kejriwal, who entered the political arena with a commitment to a new approach and a promise of clean governance free from VIP culture.
Originating from Anna Hazare's anti-corruption movement in 2011, Brand Kejriwal faced misfortune for the fourth time.
The AAP's latest endeavor to seize the 'Dilli Darbar' was thwarted by strong anti-incumbency sentiments, the poor performance of its MLAs, and the party chief's increasing reliance on defectors from other political parties.
The decision to field dissidents or long-time veterans from the BJP and Congress for nearly a third of the 70 seats signified Kejriwal's acknowledgment of the lackluster performance of around 20 of his MLAs.
The incorporation of nearly a dozen ex-BJP and Congress MLAs into the AAP indicated Kejriwal's realization that his personal allure was no longer sufficient to ensure election victories for any candidate or non-performing sitting MLA.
In a direct contest with PM Modi, Kejriwal recognized that this would be the toughest fight of his political journey. Despite his attempts to promote vote bank politics through welfare schemes and incentives, he faced a historic defeat.
Kejriwal was unable to counter PM Modi's assurance that no welfare scheme or freebie would be discontinued if the BJP came to power.
Even with the BJP's increasing urgency to seize power in Delhi, Kejriwal appeared determined to not let analysts declare his political demise just yet, despite the backdrop of corruption allegations against him and his cabinet members.
Nonetheless, a significant chapter in both Kejriwal's political journey and the AAP's development has concluded, setting the stage for the BJP to govern the city.
