It's not out of the ordinary for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to follow up the inauguration of developmental projects in an election-bound state with public meetings, in order to set a public narrative. The two public meetings held by PM Modi in Delhi recently—the first after the inauguration of multi-storeyed apartments for slum dwellers and the second after the inauguration of the extended Delhi-Meerut High-Speed Regional Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS), or the Namo Bharat corridor—is in line with this approach.
Both projects are aimed at transforming the living and commute conditions for the people of Delhi NCR. Owning an apartment will be a dream come true for many beneficiaries, while a world-class RRTS would cut travel time for an 82-km stretch by half. The project had faced hiccups initially due to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's delay in releasing its share of funds.
Since 2014, Delhi has seen three parliamentary and two assembly elections. In all three parliamentary polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won all seven seats in Delhi. On the other hand, in the two assembly polls in 2015 and 2020, the AAP won over 60 of a total of 70 seats. In all these elections, PM Modi was the party's principal campaigner. Luck didn't favour the BJP in the previous two assembly elections, but things seem different this time on the ground.
The slogan “AAP-Da” (disaster) coined by PM Modi can put Kejriwal and his party workers on the defensive. The term, picked readily by the media, may resonate with a large section of voters who have started doubting Kejriwal's ‘clean' credentials. The former chief minister, his then deputy, Manish Sisodia, and former minister Satyendra Jain were in jail for months in relation to corruption cases. Kejriwal's governance model and the ceaseless tensions with the Union government have also marred his party's image.
Allegations that he spent Rs 33 crore of taxpayers' money for the renovation of the Chief Minister's official bungalow, as against an initial sanction of Rs 7 crore, have not helped his cause either. The itemised details in the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) report are damning. Modi made a mention of it in both public meetings. Other BJP leaders are using social media to amplify other details, such as kitchens, bathrooms and curtains reportedly worth crores. The saga raises questions about how Kejriwal, the self-styled ‘aam aadmi' (common man) could spend so much of public money for personal luxury.
For the BJP, one of its major weaknesses in Delhi is the lack of a strong face to counter Kejriwal. For his part, Modi has given a much-needed thrust to the BJP's Delhi campaign in the run-up to the elections. Party workers are already enthused after the wins in Haryana and Maharashtra. The year 2025 may just spring a surprise in Delhi.
(The author is Consulting Editor, NDTV)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
