Demolition man Arvind Kejriwal has pulverised the BJP to dust in the Delhi election in a grim reminder to the ruling party that it does not lead a charmed life.
The AAP has not just weaned away the Muslim and ‘poor’ vote from the Congress, as was anticipated, but has also wrested from the BJP its Middle Class and Upper Middle Class constituency.
With all 70 trends out, the AAP was leading in 62 seats and the BJP in just 7. Brought down to its knees and reduced to single digits, the groundswell is being compared to the trouncing of the Congress in the general elections. Among the shock upsets are expected to be those of BJP chief ministerial nominee Kiran Bedi and party stalwart Jagdish Mukhi, who were trailing in the party’s pocket Burroughs. More than anything else, the resounding verdict, transcending across caste and other barriers, is a manifestation of the utter disenchantment with the entire political class — be it the Congress or the BJP.
AAP leader Yogendra Yadav’s early morning tweet — This may be a historic day! The juggernaut is likely to halt. David likely to overcome Goliath — has proved prophetic.
Given the overwhelming verdict, the nature of the political narrative and the political idiom is bound to change. It will also impact the national mood, even if it does not change overnight the political equations.
The BJP has not just lost the Delhi election, it has squandered it away, which will bring the spotlight on the Amit Shah dispensation and whether it will continue to yield dividends. A couple of months down the line, the BJP will be testing the model in Bihar, where its dilemma will be whether to project Narendra Modi as a campaign face or not. Already, the party had egg on its face for propping up JD-U renegade Jitan Ram Manjhi in a petty fight against Modi’s bête noire Nitish Kumar.
The trouncing could also lead to a paradigm shift in the BJP’s much touted development and good governance model. The lesson has been hammered: Delivery on the ground is more important than histrionics and theatrics in Madison Square.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s position remains unassailable but he too will have to temper his penchant for ‘prachar’ and get down to business of governing the country. The nation has had enough of political sophistry.
