Delhi will go to polls in less than 24 hours and the country is set to witness a tough fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Although the BJP has a political dominance across the nation. the situation in the national capital is completely opposite.
While AAP is banking upon the work it has done in the last five years, including the freebies, BJP has a tough task to get hold of the national capitals, provided that certain developments in the recent past have promoted an anti-BJP sentiment in Delhi voters.
Here are the key issues that are likely to decide who will win the Delhi Elections 2020
1. CAA and NRC
For the BJP, the recently enacted Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR) are going to be the biggest issue in the Delhi Assembly Elections. The controversial citizenship law has been a bone of contention for the BJP right from it was brought in the Parliament.
Severe protests have erupted in various parts of the country ever since the central government passed the contentious act, which grants Indian citizenship to refugees belonging to the Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, and Jain communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. However, the party has maintained that it will not go back on the law.
2. Jamia and JNU protests
Students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Milia Islamia faced police action last year due to different reasons. While the former were protesting against fee-hike, the latter were voicing their concerns against the CAA, which turned violent. The Delhi Police (which comes under the central government led by BJP) resorted to lathi-charge and tear gas shelling to contain violence. These protests have promoted an anti-BJP sentiment among the students and it is likely to be reflected in the elections.
3. Shaheen Bagh protests
In South-East Delhi's Shaheen Bagh, women have been sitting on protest against the CAA and NRC since December 15 last year. The Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch of road no. 13A in the national capital has been closed since December 15 last year after protesters occupied the road. The region has became a common theme in the Delhi election campaign for all parties. Some BJP leaders have gone a step ahead and gave different names to the protests. While some called the agitators 'rapists' and 'traitors', others have termed the Shaheen Bagh area as 'mini Pakistan'.
4. Clean water
Last year, a government study revealed that Delhi's drinking water is the most unsafe in the country. Samples of piped drinking water were taken from 11 different locations across Delhi and sent for testing as per Indian Standard 10500:2012 (Specification for Drinking Water) as set by the BIS. Following the tests, all 11 samples failed to comply with the standards and failed on several parameters. The development led to huge criticism of the Delhi's ruling Aam Aadmi Party government and it became a matter of huge importance in the election rallies of both BJP and AAP.
5. Unauthorised colonies
According to a report, there are 1,797 unauthorised colonies in Delhi, accounting to nearly a third of its population. In November last year, a bill to regulate them was passed in the Lok Sabha and since then, all the parties are leaving no stone unturned not just to woo them but also take the credit.
Delhi Assembly elections will be held on February 8 while counting of votes will be conducted on February 11.
The ruling AAP is locked in a triangular contest with the BJP and the Congress but is favourite to retain the Union Territory.
The Kejriwal-led AAP had won 67 seats in the 70-member assembly in 2015 assembly elections, defying all expectations. The Congress failed to open its account in the assembly and the BJP was able to win three seats.
