The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won decisively in the Delhi Assembly election thus ending more than two decades of its absence from governing the national capital. The historic victory ended twelve years of rule for Aam Aadmi Party and its leader Arvind Kejriwal. The Bharatiya Janata Party captured 48 seats and achieved majority status in the elections followed by Aam Aadmi Party winning 22 seats in the political contest for the 70 available seats. The Congress Party lost all its available seats in the Delhi Assembly elections marking another unsuccessful campaign in their history of Delhi politics.
BJP’s Past Tenure in Delhi
The last time BJP had a Chief Minister in Delhi was between 1993 and 1998, when three different leaders took charge within five years.
- Madan Lal Khurana (1993-1995): Known as “Delhi ka Sher” (Lion of Delhi), he was the first BJP Chief Minister following the restoration of Statehood to Delhi. However, he resigned in 1995 after being linked to the infamous Hawala scandal.
- Sahib Singh Verma (1996-1998): Verma, father of BJP leader Parvesh Verma, received much flak in the years following disproportionately high prices on onion (Rs 60 per kg in 1998) and ultimately resigned.
- Sushma Swaraj (1998): While Swaraj, Delhi’s first woman CM, served only 52 days prior to the Congress, headed by Sheila Dikshit, coming into power in 1998.
Sheila Dikshit went on to govern for *15 years (1998-2013) before being defeated by Arvind Kejriwal in the 2013 elections.
AAP’s Rise and BJP’s Struggles
- 2013 Elections: BJP won 31 seats but fell short of the majority. AAP and Congress entered a coalition government which ended in 49 days.
- 2015 Elections: AAP won a crushing victory and obtained 67 seats out of 70 while BJP could get only 3 seats.
- 2020 Elections: AAP continued its dominance, winning 62 seats, with BJP improving slightly to 8 seats. Congress remained irrelevant.
Now, after 12 years, the tables have turned, with BJP returning to power and Parvesh Verma defeating Kejriwal by a margin of over 4,000 votes.
PM Modi’s Address After BJP’s Victory
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the win as a “victory of truth against corruption. Speaking at BJP headquarters in Delhi, he expressed gratitude to voters:.
“Delhi has given us love wholeheartedly, and I assure you that we will return it in the form of development,” he said.
Modi also took a dig at AAP, stating:
“All those who thought they controlled Delhi have now realised the truth in the mirror. The residents of the city of Delhi have emphatically expressed that it is the actual property owners of Delhi and not corrupt politicians who should be regarded as city’s actual owners. “
With this victory, the BJP has made a strong comeback in Delhi, signaling a major shift in the political landscape of the national capital.
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