NEW DELHI: The party aims to highlight its development work and achievements in the city as it faces tough competition from the opposition.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is gearing up for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections with a comprehensive strategy focusing on several key areas. These strategies include AAP’s focus on both showcasing their governance record and addressing current issues to retain their stronghold in Delhi.
The party plans to emphasise the successes of the Kejriwal government over the past decade, including improvements in water, electricity, healthcare, and education.
They aim to showcase these achievements through door-to-door campaigns and extensive use of social media.
Additionally, both the AAP and BJP are focusing on unauthorised colonies, which have a significant voter base. While the central government has announced the regularisation of these colonies, AAP is promoting the development work done in these areas under their administration.
It has raised concerns about the increase in crime rate in Delhi, which is under the jurisdiction of the central government, as part of their campaign to argue for more autonomy and better governance of the capital.
According to a political analyst, the absence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seems to affect their prospects, especially since the party came to power by raising the issue of corruption by the UPA government and the Sheila Dikshit-led Delhi government, but its prominent leaders being jailed on corruption charges has declined their overall positive image and can be a disadvantage for them during the elections.
AAP contested its first Assembly elections in December 2013. They won 28 out of 70 seats, emerging as the second-largest party. Kejriwal formed a minority government with support from the Congress. However, the government lasted only 49 days, as Kejriwal resigned in February 2014, citing the inability to pass the Jan Lokpal Bill due to a lack of support from other parties.
In the 2015 elections, AAP achieved a sweeping victory, winning 67 out of 70 seats. This unprecedented mandate was driven by promises of anti-corruption measures and significant improvements in public services such as education, healthcare, water, and electricity.
The party retained power with a decisive win, securing 62 out of 70 seats. Their campaign focused a lot on their governance record, particularly improvements in schools, healthcare, and basic services.
But now, the situation will be challenging for the party as it faces stiff competition from BJP, which has been vocal about the issues of mismanagement in Delhi. It became evident when AAP leader Atishi’s Jal Satyagraha was not received well by the public. Also, the mismanagement of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, where AAP is in power, failed to address civic issues. Last year, overflow of water in the floodplains of the Yamuna River also brought criticism to them as they failed to tackle concerning issues.
AAP is trying to utilize the time left to its maximum limit by focusing on the issues of roads, sewers, and water. A meeting for the same was held with the party MLAs, they have been directed to acknowledge the issues of broken roads and pipelines and ensure their restoration before the party goes to the polls.
A party insider also said AAP has to make an alternative plan in the absence of Kejriwal, and it is working on the same after he was arrested by the CBI.