Need to shun the politics of patronage and clientelism

With the elections in the national capital territory done and dusted and the new government sworn in, it is time to reflect on the role of freebies that played a role in shaping the people's voting choices and the unprecedented rise of patronage in electoral politics.

- Ashutosh Kumar

With the elections in the national capital territory done and dusted and the new government sworn in, it is time to reflect on the role of freebies that played a role in shaping the people's voting choices and the unprecedented rise of patronage in electoral politics. Besides reducing a large section of the electorate to mere clients, freebies do not provide a structural solution to poverty.

It is argued that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)'s electoral success in the previous two assembly polls was primarily due to subsidised utilities, free public transportation for women, and free access to public health services for the marginalised sections of society. The party promised freebies this time too; in fact, at a much larger scale. However, the other parties in contention, especially the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), surpassed the AAP in the bouquet of freebies it offered.

The AAP promised to implement the Mahila Samman Yojana giving women ₹2,100 per month. In response, the BJP promised ₹2,500 monthly to women under its Mahila Samridhi Yojana. Similarly, the Congress announced the Pyari Didi Yojana, offering ₹2,500 per month to women. While the AAP promised ₹18,000 every month to temple priests and gurdwara granthis, the BJP said it would give a free gas cylinder to the poor during Holi and Diwali. The BJP promised ₹21,000 for nutritional support to pregnant women, and the Congress health cover of ₹25 lakh for Delhi residents.