AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal has long been a master of story-telling, often leaving his opponents scrambling to move on. But a few weeks before the Delhi Assembly elections, that seemed to change as PM Modi branded AAP as “aapda” (disaster) and called AAP’s 10-year term “aapda kaal” (a period of crisis).
Highlighting the “exaggerated renovation of Kejriwal’s former bungalow”, called a “sheeshmahal”, and comparing it to the construction of 1,600 Swabhiman poor houses, PM Modi and the BJP have flipped the script. By making this the backbone of its attack, the BJP has officially entered the Delhi dangal, with months to spare.
I The supremacy of BJP’s infrastructure in Delhi also saw the AAP reply that these projects were joint efforts between the Central and Delhi governments, and were made possible jointly.
Further, Prime Minister Modi assured Delhiites that the BJP will continue with the existing social programs against the “AAP lie”, which was the hallmark of the AAP government. Kejriwal, on the other hand, accused PM Modi and BJP of harassing AAP as well. the Delhiites.
The narrative driven by the BJP has ensured that the AAP, usually the agenda-setter, is now responding, instead of shaping its narrative ahead of the crucial Delhi elections, where it faces a decade-long challenge of incumbency. With the entry of the BJP, the upcoming elections will be a highly contested battle.
PM MODI ATTACKS KEJRIWAL ON ‘SEESHMAHAL’, BJP ALLEGES RS 80 CRORE SPLURGE IN BUNGLOW
Central to PM Modi’s attack on AAP is the “gross renovation” of Kejriwal’s former bungalow, called ‘Sheeshmahal.’ Initially estimated at Rs 7.9 crore, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) later pegged the renovation cost at over Rs 33 crore. The BJP has also stepped up its criticism, he said the total cost exceeded Rs 80 crore, which is called the total snowball.
Arvind Kejriwal and his family He stayed in the bungalow until September 2024while resigning as Delhi CM.
Modi, in his backlash on Friday and Saturday, compared this to the achievements of the BJP, such as the construction of more than 4 million houses for the poor, including 1,600 Swabhiman Apartments.
Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday launched a scathing attack on Kejriwal over the ‘sheeshmahal,’ urging Delhi voters to judge the evils of AAP’s decade-old rule.
Meanwhile, Parvesh Verma, the BJP candidate in New Delhi the region is at loggerheads with Kejriwaldemanded that the bungalow should be declared as a “tourist place”.
BJP Delhi chief Virendra Sachdeva also accused Delhi’s Public Works Department (PWD) of irregularities and corruption in his repairs which he said were “done during the severe Covid crisis”.
The comparison, which was meant to highlight what the BJP sees as AAP’s mismanagement and self-serving actions, highlighted how the Modi-led central government is committed to the welfare of the poor.
Not just BJP, Congress also attacked AAP on “seeshmahal”.
Hours after PM Modi’s “seeshmahal” jibe, Kejriwal on Friday said “who wears a suit of Rs 10 lakhtalking about sheeshmahal does not suit his mouth.”
Prime Minister Modi has “bullied” the people of Delhi, Kejriwal responded, adding, “Today Prime Minister Modi gave a 43-minute speech, in which he bullied the people of Delhi and the government they elected for about 39 minutes”.
AAP has denied the allegations as “exaggeration”. However, a detailed response in this regard is still awaited. Kejriwal and the AAP, long presenting themselves as a group of ‘partners’ in the fight against corruption, now find themselves embroiled in allegations of financial irregularities, ahead of the crucial Assembly elections a few weeks ago.
DELHI’S INFRA PUSH, MIGHT BE POSSIBLE DUE TO CENTRE-AAP GOVERNMENT’S COORDINATED EFFORTS, SAYS AAP
Another key narrative in the BJP’s election campaign in Delhi is its emphasis on infrastructure development in the capital. AAP argued that these programs would not have been possible without its cooperation, despite the “atrocities” faced by its leaders.
PM Modi, busy for the past three days, he laid the foundation stones of many infrastructure projects. He launched the Magenta line between Janakpuri and Krishna Park, and a 13-km section of the Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) connecting Delhi’s New Ashok Nagar and UP’s Sahibabad.
Additionally, Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stone for the 26.5 km Rithala-Kundli section, which aims to connect the villages of northwest Delhi with the metro network and the NCR.
AAP leader and Delhi CM Atishi tried to claim joint credit for development projects, saying it was a “joint effort” between the Center and the Delhi government. The Delhi government has invested Rs 1,260 crore in the RRTS line being built from Delhi to Meerut as it will boost the economy of Delhi, said Atishi.
Regarding the expansion of Delhi Metro, Atishi highlighted its expansion in the last decade, saying, “Delhi is emerging as a model of public transport and sustainable transport, nationally and globally”.
Whether the shift in the BJP’s narrative structure will affect the election results remains to be seen, but it is clear that the BJP has managed to shift the dynamics of the campaign, resulting in the AAP securing its tenure and its vision of Delhi. . The five-year term of the current Delhi Assembly ends in February, and the 70-member house is expected to go to polls then.