Arvind Kejriwal Puts BJP, Congress On Backfoot In Their Own Game | Opinion

The roads of Delhi are dotted with BJP posters cornering the AAP government over unavailability of clean drinking water and the non-implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

File Photo: ANI

Delhi Election 2025: With the Delhi Election in the pipeline, a buoyant BJP was hopeful of replicating its Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh success in the national capital where it's warming the opposition benches since 1998. However, out of the Chief Minister's chair amid corruption allegations, Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal has put both - Congress and the BJP on the backfoot with early poll moves. 

The roads of Delhi are dotted with BJP posters cornering the AAP government over clean drinking water and the non-implementation of the Ayushman Bharat scheme. However, weeks ahead of the poll date announcement, the AAP made key moves depriving the BJP or Congress of any further advantage in the poll battle. 

हम दिल्ली की हर महिला को 2100 रुपये देना चाहते हैं। बीजेपी इसे रोकने के लिए पूरा ज़ोर लगा रही है। मैं दिल्ली वालों को कहना चाहता हूँ - इस बार चुनाव में झाड़ू का बटन इतनी ज़ोर से दबाना की बीजेपी को ज़ोर का करंट लगे।

पहले भी बीजेपी के सारे विरोध के बावज़ूद जैसे मैंने आपकी बिजली… — Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 28, 2024

To counter BJP's Ayushman Bharat push, Kejriwal announced the Sanjivani Scheme under which all Delhi residents aged 60 or above will be given free medical treatment in government and private hospitals in the national capital. The AAP was aware that the BJP or Congress may announce something similar to the Ladli Behan yojana in Delhi as well after the scheme's grand success in Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Thus, the AAP caught the BJP unprepared as it announced Mahila Samman Yojana and moved towards its implementation, saying women residents would get Rs 2,100 if the AAP returns to power next year.

While Delhi LG VK Saxena has ordered a probe into the registration for the scheme over the allegation of collection of personal data of residents, AAP has already occupied the driver's seat in the poll battle. The BJP, which has always been shy about announcing freebies in Delhi, already bowed down as it said that the free electricity and water schemes implemented by the AAP government would continue even if the saffron party is voted to power. The Congress has also made similar promises. 

Congress secured power in Karnataka by delivering on its five guarantees, which included free bus travel and free electricity—benefits that Delhi voters already enjoy under the AAP government. Now, both the BJP and Congress face the challenge of finding concrete strategies to unseat the AAP, as mere rhetoric is unlikely to sway the electorate or alter the poll outcomes.