CAPITAL GAINS

The BJP's strategy to unseat the AAP in Delhi

- SUNIL KASHYAP

ON 15 AUGUST 2024, Kailash Gahlot unfurled the national flag at the Chhatrasal stadium, in north Delhi. In the absence of the chief minister, the lieutenant governor has the prerogative to nominate a person to unfurl the flag. While the ruling Aam Aadmi Party wanted Atishi—as Arvind Kejriwal, the imprisoned chief minister of the state, had requested the LG in a letter—the LG nominated Gahlot, the home minister in the Delhi government and the most prominent Jat leader in the AAP. Coming through the LG, who reports to the union government, the action was taken as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s overture to Delhi’s Jat residents.

Three months later, with the city headed for an assembly election, Gahlot left the AAP and joined the BJP. His exit was a blow to the party, which had been counting on the leader to bring in the Jat vote. "When Kejriwal was released from prison, he did not even shake Gahlot's hand," Surendra Kumar, who teaches in Delhi University, said. It was unclear whether this was fact or rumour, but the supposed insult had made an impact. Kumar said that it had hurt the pride of Delhi's Jats, who had resolved to avenge the insult to their leader in the polling booth.

The AAP was quick on the uptake. On 9 January, after the election dates were declared, Kejriwal held a press conference drawing attention to the situation of Delhi's Jats. He noted that Delhi government universities and colleges have reserved seats for the community, but this was not true of institutions controlled by the union government-Jats are not in the central list of Other Backward Classes, and inclusion has been a long-standing demand. “The BJP has called Delhi’s Jats four times and promised them reservations before each election,” he said, adding that he had written to the prime minister on the issue.