BJP wins, AAP gains in Guj, Himachal saves Congress blushes
The BJP has scored a historic victory in Gujarat, winning a record number of seats, and has equalled the record of seven straight wins by the Left Front in West Bengal. Its performance is proof that brand Modi endures in his home state. However, it is important to see the Gujarat victory in perspective. The BJP’s vote share rose by about 3%. The AAP bagged nearly 13% votes, bringing the Congress share down drastically. This split in the opposition vote was one of the factors that contributed to the BJP’s landslide. Undoubtedly, it is to the BJP’s credit that it won over 50% of votes even after being in power since 1990, barring a brief rule of Shankersinh Vaghela.
The credit goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Gujarat model for turning incumbency into an advantage. Noticeably, the BJP also beat the predictions of a complete sweep of the Aam Aadmi Party in the Delhi Municipal Corporation by improving its vote percentage and bagging over a hundred seats.
The Aam Aadmi Party improved its vote share in the Delhi municipal election compared to what it polled previously. But compared to its performance in the last two assembly elections, its vote share saw a big decline. That should be a cause for worry for the AAP as it celebrates the dethroning of the BJP from
the corporation after 15 years. Allegations of corruption against AAP in liquor licensing and trade appear to have worked for the BJP. The fight for the MCD is not over yet as the BJP is likely to throw its hat in the mayoral ring. Since there is no anti-defection law in the MCD, corporators are free to choose a mayor of their liking.
As for the Congress, the party has been saved from a complete rout in this round of election by the people of Himachal Pradesh. The party rode to power on the strength of its promises of restoring the Old Pension Scheme, among others. Chief Minister Jairam Thakur’s unpopularity also contributed to Congress’ victory. The party will, however, face a big challenge in Gujarat, where the emergence of the AAP poses a long-term threat. The AAP appears a net gainer in these elections as it got a majority in the MCD and is set to become a national party with the help of its Gujarat votes.