Over the span of just two years, the last two elections in Delhi, Assembly polls in 2013 and last year’s Lok Sabha vote, appeared to transform the Congress from the incumbents into bit players. After 15 years in charge of the capital, India’s grand old party was relegated to a distant third position where it was expected to simply act as a mere spoiler. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to focus half of his campaign speech on the Aam Aadmi Party last week only confirmed this impression.
But things might not go so easily. Although there was initial talk that the Congress might give way to AAP in the spirit of taking on the Bharatiya Janata Party, something that even BJP leaders complained about, there have been indications that the Delhi elections might turn into a proper three-cornered fight.
Here’s why.
Leading from the front
Although the BJP’s Delhi unit is the one that’s truly famous for infighting, the Congress has had its own intrigue in the capital over the years. The long-running rivalry between three-time chief minister Sheila Dikshit and former union minister Ajay Maken was no secret. Dikshit and her son, Sandeep, lorded over the Delhi unit for years while Maken harboured ambitions of taking charge and making the chief ministerial post his own.
With Maken finally being handed the reins of Delhi operations – he was made the election in-charge for the Congress in the capital last week – he’ll finally have a chance to make good on his ambitions, but at the worst possible time for his party. Nevertheless, it’s hard to see Maken, who has worked so long to be a major player in Delhi politics, simply giving way to the AAP to achieve some broader aim of putting the BJP on the backfoot.
Stepping up to the plate
“The news that’s coming out isn’t that our leaders don’t want to contest elections,” Maken said, in a reference to the Lok Sabha polls when many Congress leaders appear to shy away from the contest. “Instead, the news is that people who were previously in Parliament are now, for the first time, ready to contest elections for the Delhi Assembly.”
In addition to Maken, a former union minister himself, the Congress has also announced that former Member of Parliament Mahabal Mishra will be contesting the assembly polls, while former union minister Krishna Tirath is also expected to be on the ticket. WIth senior Delhi unit leaders, such as former speakers of the Assembly Yoganand Shastri and Chaudhary Prem Singh, all contesting, the Congress can’t possibly be accused of backing off from the fight, at least on paper.
Acquiring a platform
The party, at the national level, has also made the decision to use the government’s promulgation of an ordinance removing a number of safeguards from the Land Acquisition Act as a platform from which the Congress can start to regain some lost ground. While it chose Bhatta Parsaul as the springboard for this movement, which it hopes will go national, the fact that the only elections coming up are in Delhi means the party cannot afford to be missing from the most high-profile political contest currently under way.
Bhatta is, of course, in the National Capital Region, giving the Congress an opportunity to take advantage of the media focus on Delhi, while attempting to gain currency with the farmers in Uttar Pradesh. It’s likely to attempt similar pushes around the periphery of the capital, in Haryana and Punjab, as well as in the rural portions of Outer Delhi where the land ordinance might indeed have a huge impact on residents.
Where else?
Simply put, if the Congress doesn’t put up a fight in the capital, where else can it attempt to make a dent? 2014 was an awful year for the party, and the only other elections that are expected this year, in Bihar, are also likely to only see the Congress playing a small role. Even in Kerala, where three-tiered local elections are scheduled, the trend suggests that the Congress is under threat, rather than growing in strength.
In that sense, the party has little to lose by fighting hard in the capital. Its efforts might see the anti-BJP vote split between the Congress and the AAP, but any successful showing, would give it some much needed momentum heading into the Bihar polls and the upcoming sessions of Parliament.
But things might not go so easily. Although there was initial talk that the Congress might give way to AAP in the spirit of taking on the Bharatiya Janata Party, something that even BJP leaders complained about, there have been indications that the Delhi elections might turn into a proper three-cornered fight.
Here’s why.
Leading from the front
Although the BJP’s Delhi unit is the one that’s truly famous for infighting, the Congress has had its own intrigue in the capital over the years. The long-running rivalry between three-time chief minister Sheila Dikshit and former union minister Ajay Maken was no secret. Dikshit and her son, Sandeep, lorded over the Delhi unit for years while Maken harboured ambitions of taking charge and making the chief ministerial post his own.
With Maken finally being handed the reins of Delhi operations – he was made the election in-charge for the Congress in the capital last week – he’ll finally have a chance to make good on his ambitions, but at the worst possible time for his party. Nevertheless, it’s hard to see Maken, who has worked so long to be a major player in Delhi politics, simply giving way to the AAP to achieve some broader aim of putting the BJP on the backfoot.
Stepping up to the plate
“The news that’s coming out isn’t that our leaders don’t want to contest elections,” Maken said, in a reference to the Lok Sabha polls when many Congress leaders appear to shy away from the contest. “Instead, the news is that people who were previously in Parliament are now, for the first time, ready to contest elections for the Delhi Assembly.”
In addition to Maken, a former union minister himself, the Congress has also announced that former Member of Parliament Mahabal Mishra will be contesting the assembly polls, while former union minister Krishna Tirath is also expected to be on the ticket. WIth senior Delhi unit leaders, such as former speakers of the Assembly Yoganand Shastri and Chaudhary Prem Singh, all contesting, the Congress can’t possibly be accused of backing off from the fight, at least on paper.
Acquiring a platform
The party, at the national level, has also made the decision to use the government’s promulgation of an ordinance removing a number of safeguards from the Land Acquisition Act as a platform from which the Congress can start to regain some lost ground. While it chose Bhatta Parsaul as the springboard for this movement, which it hopes will go national, the fact that the only elections coming up are in Delhi means the party cannot afford to be missing from the most high-profile political contest currently under way.
Bhatta is, of course, in the National Capital Region, giving the Congress an opportunity to take advantage of the media focus on Delhi, while attempting to gain currency with the farmers in Uttar Pradesh. It’s likely to attempt similar pushes around the periphery of the capital, in Haryana and Punjab, as well as in the rural portions of Outer Delhi where the land ordinance might indeed have a huge impact on residents.
Where else?
Simply put, if the Congress doesn’t put up a fight in the capital, where else can it attempt to make a dent? 2014 was an awful year for the party, and the only other elections that are expected this year, in Bihar, are also likely to only see the Congress playing a small role. Even in Kerala, where three-tiered local elections are scheduled, the trend suggests that the Congress is under threat, rather than growing in strength.
In that sense, the party has little to lose by fighting hard in the capital. Its efforts might see the anti-BJP vote split between the Congress and the AAP, but any successful showing, would give it some much needed momentum heading into the Bihar polls and the upcoming sessions of Parliament.
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