Campaigning in full swing for MCD elections

The campaigning, canvassing and door to door contact exercise by all the leaders of all political parties for the MCD elections in Delhi is in full swing. MCD elections are going to be held on April 23. The main contestants in the MCD elections are the three major parties - Aam Admi Party (AAP), Opposition BJP and Congress- besides all other small and regional parties. AAP is the ruling party and BJP is the opposition party in Delhi assembly. Congress has nil in Delhi assembly after ruling the city for 15 years in a row. BJP has been ruling MCD in Delhi for the last 10 years. So, it has to do a lot of explaining for deteriorating civic amenities and hygienic condition in the city. AAP is ruling in Delhi. Only two years back, it had got resounding victory in the assembly elections, winning 67 seats out of 70. It was an unprecedented victory. AAP had swayed the Delhiites by its leaders' high idealistic speeches. But in the last more than two years of its regime, the AAP govt. and the functioning style of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal have dashed the hopes of Delhiites down to the ground. The way AAP has lost security deposit in the Rajouri Garden by-poll clearly reflects that Delhiites have become totally disillusioned with it. AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wasted the valuable time in indulging in the controversy of which the people of Delhi have nothing to do with it. Kejriwal govt. mostly kept involved itself in confrontation with the Lieutenant Governor and the Centre. Kejri always spoke on national issues and criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It has become his main occupation. These things also clearly reflect his vaulting national ambition. CM Kejriwal campaigned vigorously for his party in Punjab assembly elections and ignored his govt. functioning in Delhi. Delhi suffered most on one hand and AAP was decimated by the Congress party in Punjab on the other. He appeared to have learnt a lesson from Punjab experience that he restrained his political activities in Gujarat. He had also fixed his eyes to fight Gujarat elections. But the Punjab has given him the clear message. APP’s humiliating defeat in Rajouri Garden assembly by-poll will also have dampening effect on its hope of winning the MCD elections in Delhi. Being the ruling party of Delhi, AAP considers itself as the strongest claimant of power in MCD also. As far as BJP is concerned, its morale is very high with its resounding victory in Rajouri Garden assembly by-poll and elsewhere in the country. Its tallest leader Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charishma and his connection with the people are marvellous. The best thing that goes in the favour of the BJP is the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi among the people. He is the single leader of the party who can win any election for it single handedly. If the recently concluded UP assembly elections are anything to go by, PM Modi has out-weighed every leader in the country. Undoubtedly, BJP has the most popular leader in Prime Minister Modi. But as far as BJP's performance in keeping Delhi neat and clean as the ruling party in MCD is concerned, Delhiites may give a second thought on voting it back to power in MCD. As it is ruling MCD, it will be held responsible for all the malaises in it. Corruption appears to be rampant at all levels in MCD. Education, Health and cleanliness are in jeopardy in the city. So, despite getting victory elsewhere in the country, winning MCD elections this time will be very tough for BJP. After AAP and BJP, the third major contender in MCD elections is Congress party. The main weakness of the party is its lethargy and indecisiveness. Its leadership has so far failed to connect with the people. The morale of the party cadres and workers is at the lowest level due to one defeat after another in elections. The cadres and workers of the Congress party are required to be given pep talks by the top leader of the party. Undoubtedly, Congress is the oldest and the longest serving party of the country. But its leaders are required to work on the ground and be among the people to be aware of their difficulties. All three major contenders claim for their victory in MCD elections. There is no wave in favour of any party.