

NEW DELHI: The Delhi BJP has decided to step up offensive against the AAP government by highlighting issues concerning the daily life of residents. The move assumes significance as Delhi will go to polls in six months.
Party leaders on Thursday told this newspaper that its main aim is to reach out to a wide section of people and explain the AAP government’s failure to deliver basic amenities to Delhiites. The party especially plans to target jailed CM Arvind Kejriwal.
“We don’t even need to tarnish Kejriwal’s image as he has himself done that. He is the mastermind of the excise policy scam. The AAP used hard-earned money of the people of Delhi for its political benefits,” a senior party leader said.
Despite being in power at the Centre with absolute majority, the BJP has failed to form a government in Delhi for more than 25 years. In the 70-member Delhi legislative assembly, the AAP won 62 seats and BJP only 8 in 2020. The Congress had drawn a blank on both occasions.
According to sources, strategies are being chalked out to counter both AAP and Congress in the upcoming elections. Both INDIA bloc partners have decided to fight elections separately.
The BJP may get an edge in the Assembly polls due to the division of votes between the AAP and Congress, according to experts. BJP leaders, however, claim that its “vote bank” is intact and that the party will get majority this time.
“We hope to come back to power in Delhi with an overwhelming majority. The people have seen enough misrule of the Kejriwal government,” said a senior BJP leader.
Party leaders claimed that five of the seven former MPs have been working hard to strengthen the BJP. “Gautam Gambhir has left active politics and Hans Raj Hans is now in Punjab. Other five have been participating in party meetings,” another party leader said, adding, “There is no rift in the party.”