The political campaigns for the upcoming Election 2020 in Delhi are heating up as the date of the polls is getting nearer. All the top political parties have left no stone unturned, campaigning round the clock to woo the voters. While AAP highlights the work done by them and outlines the local issues that need solving, the BJP and Congress are stressing on national issues like CAA or even abrogation of article 370 to entice voters. Here is an assessment of who is talking about what and what outcomes are possible for the parties.
Blame game continues
As expected, the blame game and dirty allegations on each other have been charging up in the national capital. The BJP is once again focussing on core national issues along with the ongoing CAA and NRC protest at Shaheen Bagh and other places. The saffron party has been reciting the scrapping of Article 370, triple talaq, bringing CAA and so on. Apart from this, some of its campaigners along with Union home minister Amit Shah have been strongly criticising the Shaheen Bagh protest and making it a party’s poll agenda.
EC bans two BJP leaders
Some star campaigners of the saffron party are deviating from the core poll issues of development and have indulged in propagating hate speech. They are not talking about how to solve the issues of the poor economy in the country, soaring prices of essential commodities, unemployment, and so on. The BJP campaigners have put the blame for Shaheen Bagh protest on the AAP government. Union Minister Anurag Thakur along with BJP MP Parvesh Verma was spewing venom in their campaign and both the politicians used unparliamentary language.
Therefore, both the leaders have been debarred from campaigning for the upcoming Delhi elections for 72 and 96 hours, respectively for their hate speeches. The Election Commission (EC) had to take cognisance after getting complaints of their shocking slogans during election rallies this week.
Hate speeches encourage goons
There is no doubt that hate speech propagated by political leaders encourage anti-social elements and local goons to disturb the peaceful atmosphere. To add to the disturbing reports, an unidentified man had open fired at protestors near Jamia Millia Islamia University, where students were protesting against CAA and NRC. One student was injured, and he was rushed to the hospital. The police have nabbed the culprit and identified him as Gopal.
AAP cruises nicely
The Aam Aadmi Party has been cruising like a well-oiled machine in their political campaigns. Kejriwal is a cool customer like Rohit Sharma as he hit two back-to-back sixes at Hamilton and left the Kiwis empty-handed yesterday. The Congress and BJP are still trying to pinpoint some loophole in the campaigns of the Aam Aadmi Party.
Kejriwal stresses on development
The Aam Aadmi Party leaders are taking their steps cautiously and not talking on a regular basis on the core national issues like CAA and NRC, unlike the others like the BJP. The AAP leaders are highlighting their development work and performance over the past five years.
On being asked by media persons about the BJP’s accusations that Delhi chief minister remains mum on Shaheen Bagh protests, Kejriwal said, “They (the BJP) have nothing else to offer”. He further added, “This entire election is being fought on the development work done by the Delhi government. In our meetings, we don’t deliver speeches. We tell the public to vote for us only if we have done our work on the ground. They (the BJP) have nothing to say. They just want to divert public attention”.
The ground reality of AAP
It is undeniable that the AAP government had paid much attention to the betterment of government schools, hospitals, mohalla clinics, clean water and electricity supply, and so on in Delhi in the last five years. The Delhi government schools have shown a pass percentage of 96 per cent with 450 students even getting through IIT-JEE successfully. Mohalla clinics and a free ride for women on DTC buses have proved a boon for the Delhites.
Congress anxious to open an account
In all the Election radar, the grand old party has been missing in action or at least in presence too. It is anxious to open its account this time. The Congress leaders are in the business of door to door campaign seeking votes. The party is in contact with all sections of people promising for better governance. The mood in the party is upbeat after a much-improved performance in the last three state assembly elections such as Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
Delhi election is well poised at the moment; all the options are open. Seeing the present perspective, AAP has a slight advantage and appears to be better placed. The AAP leaders are knocking on people’s doors in the name of development, and why not, Prashant Kishore, the poll strategist has been providing the art of fighting an election. In the end, it must be said that politics is a game of uncertainty like cricket, so prediction without the result is not free from danger. At the outset, it looks AAP is set to remain in power in Delhi.
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