Capital Contest

Could an alliance of former foes prevent a hat-trick for the BJP in Delhi?

- Rakhi Bose

A SHISH Kumar, a resident of Delhi's Najafgarh, was initially surprised to see a crowd gather outside the petrol pump near where he works, opposite the Tihar Jail complex, on a balmy May 10 afternoon.

As he saw trucks with the yellow and blue flags pull across the street, he knew. Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of Delhi, had secured bail. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief had been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. "I don't believe in these allegations," Kumar stated categorically.

Originally from Uttar Pradesh, Kumar, a member of the Rawa Rajput community, and his family are staunch Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters. As a Delhi voter, he also qualifies his position with a distinctive duality. "I support Kejriwal in Delhi and the BJP at the Centre," he says.

Kumar typifies the mindset of many voters in Delhi, consistent with their voting patterns in recent elections. However, Kejriwal's release after 50 days in custody as a sitting CM, has injected fresh enthusiasm among voters in the capital, ahead of the pivotal 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "This time, I support the AAP because we want it to remain in power in Delhi in the Vidhan Sabha as well as in the Lok Sabha," he adds, citing the "good work" done by Kejriwal to better the city.

"We want justice for Kejriwal. He has done a lot for the city,"says Phool Kumari Devi, a 52-year-old voter from Dabri in Dwarka, West Delhi, who walked about four kilometres on foot to Tihar to get a glimpse of the CM.