BJP leaders call for introspection meetings after Delhi debacle

After the Aam Aadmi Party registered a thumping win in the Delhi Assembly Elections, the BJP leaders have identified the reasons that led to the party's defeat in Delhi Polls. Factionalism, gaps in coordination at the local level and inability to effectively counter AAP's narrative of freebies are some of the reasons identified by the party for its defeat.

Ever since the results were declared on February 11, the party has held introspection meetings to find causes for its defeat in the elections in which the ruling Aam Aadmi Party registered a landslide victory. According to various BJP leaders, there was no infighting but the outcome has shown that the local unit "remained a divided house".

Even though BJP's vote share has marginally increased, the party managed to win only five more seats in comparison to its 2015 tally, where it had won just 3 seats. A senior BJP leader who had attended the meeting, informed ANI about the infighting on the ground level. "The infighting at the ground level, mismanagement and party's failure to counter Aam Aadmi Party's planks of free electricity and free bus rides for women were among reasons why we failed miserably."

"The lack of coordination was such that three senior party leaders held public meetings for a candidate at the same spot and ground," another leader stated.

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Candidates blame infighting and lack of effective communication

Party's national general secretary Arun Singh, MP, and V Satish, national general secretary (organization) had called a meeting of vistaraks to analyse the cause of defeat. Another meeting of constituency in-charges and coordinators was convened by party general secretary Anil Jain. BJP Delhi president Manoj Tiwari and Siddharthan, general secretary (organisation) of Delhi unit were among those present. A meeting of the party candidates is also likely to happen. 

A candidate, who lost the polls, stated that there was a lack of effective coordination within the people who were sent by the leadership. Another candidate stated that the party had failed to counter the freebies scheme by Aam Aadmi Party.  "On the ground, we were zero in countering Kejriwal," he said.

"Shaheen Bagh episode and speeches by leaders did help us. This is also explained by the increase in our vote share. But there was more consolidation of the minority vote," a BJP leader was quoted saying.

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Delhi Assembly Elections 2020

Building on its massive common-man appeal, the AAP government offered several freebies - free electricity, water, free wifi services, free metro and bus rides for women in the run-up to the elections. Meanwhile, Congress, which is reeling from a leadership vacuum since the demise of Sheila Dikshit is eyeing a comeback at the national capital. BJP, which has not held the Delhi Assembly since 1998 is eyeing to rule at Centre and the national capital - but has not named a CM pick. AAP which had launched a Kejriwal-centric campaign, aims at crossing the total with its motto "Abki Baar 67 paar" and keeps asking 'Kejriwal v/s Who?'

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(With inputs from ANI)