New entrant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) may have failed to live up to the hype it created through its high-decibel campaign in the months leading up to the recent Gujarat Assembly election, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is poised to form the government in the state for a record seventh straight term, but it managed to make its presence felt by winning a few seats. Having formed the government in Delhi for two consecutive terms after coming out victorious in 2015 and 2020 elections, and decisively winning the Punjab Assembly election in February this year, the AAP supremo, Arvind Kejriwal, appeared to be more determined to expand the party’s influence to more states. The party might have aimed at putting up a good show this time to prove a point to the people of the country ahead of next year’s crucial assembly elections in several states like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana, where his party is expected to contest. Instead, it ended up being sandwiched between the traditional rivals -- Congress and BJP – in the state. But by winning a few seats in Gujarat, the party has successfully made inroads into the state as well as qualified to become a national party. So, it did not lose from its outing in Gujarat. In fact, it has come a long way since making an impressive electoral debut in 2013.
In Delhi, the AAP has successfully consolidated its position. Riding on its welfare schemes and programmes for the citizens, it finally ended 15 years of BJP rule in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls on Wednesday, a shot in the arm for the regional party. It had been blaming the BJP, which was controlling the civic body until now, for the mess in the city, so the win will come as a huge relief. Interestingly, ‘garbage’ politics took centre-stage in the civic body polls with Kejriwal pledging to address major issues Delhi faces, like sanitation, corruption, salary payment and stray cattle, among others. It worked. Now, the party should focus on fulfilling its promises and the Centre should not use its executive powers in the national capital to disrupt execution of projects that will enhance public amenities. Can the Kejriwal-led government transform Delhi into a clean and beautiful city as promised? It is achievable if the AAP uses its broom, which is its election symbol, and the Delhiites actively participate in the drive. However, it is to be seen if the party will fulfill its promise of improving civic amenities in the national capital. If it does, it will boost its prospect in the upcoming state assembly elections next year and the Lok Sabha polls in 2024. It’s time to start cleaning Delhi streets.