‘ Tough for AAP to repeat Dec. show’

Even though the Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP) leadership is hopeful of repeating its success in case re- elections take place in the city, political experts feel otherwise. Experts assert that the Lok Sabha results confirm that the debutante party has lost the people’s support and this will have a bearing on the Assembly elections.

Renowned psephologist Sanjay Kumar noted that the BJP’s clean sweep in Delhi was an effect due to the combination of several factors, including antiCongress wave and the Modi factor, and that with momentum in favour of the BJP, it would be difficult for the AAP to achieve similar results it had in previous Assembly elections.

“Certainly the momentum is with the BJP. It will be difficult for the AAP to revive and close that gap in vote share. Also, the BJP has done so well at the national level. That will further contribute to the performance of the BJP ( in the state),” Mr Kumar, director at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies ( CSDS), said.

With the Congress receiving a drubbing both at the national and state level, Mr Kumar said the party has now “nothing to lose” and it would have to start from a scratch in the state.

Political scientist Fakran Ahmed said that the newbie party has lost people’s favour after its abrupt resignation from the state government.

“People have got an impression that the party led by Arvind Kejriwal cannot shoulder the responsibility of governance. The party is mistaken to reject Congress’ support to form a government in Delhi as otherwise it won’t be able to repeat the mandate it received in the Assembly elections,” Mr Ahmed said, adding that the LS results will have an impact on Delhi elections.

The AAP has seemingly lost the upper middle class and middle class vote share to the BJP, which had contributed for its spectacular success in the Assembly elections.

The Congress’ loss in its vote share has directly benefited the BJP, even though the AAP has seemingly cut the Muslim share from the Congress.

Observers also believe that the three per cent increase in the AAP’s vote share was not enough to give stiff challenge to the saffron outfit.

Also, unlike the mandate at the national level to the BJP, it has recorded a clear majority in the state with 46.4 per cent vote share. This is a humongous increase from 35.26 per cent vote share, which the saffron party had secured in Delhi in the last general elections.