Delhi Elections 2015 : Agenda of Political Parties

By Deepak Parvatiyar

January 28, 2015

The key issues that have set the agenda for the February Delhi elections include women’s safety, development, power tariff, youth, corruption, price rise and the issue of full statehood to Delhi. They are common to all the parties but what matters is their treatment by respective political parties. Hence, it would be interesting to analyse these issues and their treatment by the CM probables of different parties.

Women’s Security

Women’s safety has been one of the most important issues to have emerged in recent times in Delhi following a spurt in rape cases in the national capital. To tackle the issue is in the agenda of all the parties. Let’s have a close look at how each of the three major parties plans to deal with the issue:

Congress: With regard of women’s safety, the Congress promises more recruitment in the civil defence forces including women; special training of the police force along with increasing the number of women in the police; close circuit television cameras on all public transport; security gates in colonies from MLA funds with close circuit television cameras in colonies, as well as gender training for the entire government workforce and auto rickshaw drivers as well to ensure the safety and security of women.

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AAP: Going a step ahead than the Congress’s promise, the AAP promises CCTV camera “in all Delhi”, besides “Commando Force” for women’s security.

The BJP: The BJP’s Chief Minister’s face, Kiran Bedi has spelt out her formula of six ‘Ps’  to ensure holistic security to women – People (parents principals), Politicians, Police, Prosecution, Prisons, Press with Government as the hub. Significantly, Bedi had first spelt out her formula before the United Nations’ officials in October last year, where she had urged the UN to also consider the Six Ps concept as a framework for advocacy on women’s security and the protection of women’s rights.

Unauthorised Colonies

There are 1642 unauthorised colonies that house over 70 lakh people in Delhi and their votes influence elections in no uncertain way.  The regularisation of these unauthorised colonies becomes a big issue every elections. This time again, they figure in the agenda of all political parties. Here’s a close look:

Congress:  In its manifesto, the Congress reminds that it was the first to start the in-situ construction of flats to rehabilitate those living in the Jhuggi Jhopri clusters and that it did “commendable” work for the Lal Dora areas (Urban Villages) and the villages falling in the Capital’s territory by extending modern amenities to these areas such as construction of roads, laying of water, power and sewer lines. Hitting out at the AAP and the BJP, it claims all these works had stopped in the last one year, leading to unbearable conditions in these colonies.

AAP:  It had demanded action against former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit alleging her to be involved in siphoning off Rs 3,000 crore that was shown in official papers as having been spent on providing basic facilities.

The BJP:  The party harps on the recent Central Government move to give legitimacy to 895 unauthorised colonies in the national Capital. It hopes that with the decision of the Narendra Modi government to approve ordinance in this regard, the party could well win around 27 of the 29 assembly constituencies in which these 895 unauthorised colonies fall.

Electricity Tariff

Last time, the high electricity tariff had become a crucial election issue exploited well by the AAP. This time again, they remain crucial and was evident when none other than prime minister Modi spoke of them in his first election rally in Delhi on January 10. Following are the takes of the three rival political parties on the issues:

Congress: The party is raking up the issues of steep hike in the electricity tariff and long power cuts. Hitting out at the AAP and the BJP as well, it claims they failed to fulfil their “tall promises” of reducing the electricity tariff by 50 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. Taking a leaf out of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s book, the Congress also promises more power distribution companies as against only three at present, “to give a level-playing field, and the consumers the option of opting for the services they want…” Besides, the party promises cheap power to the consumers, offering 50 per cent discount to those who consume more than 200 units, and reducing the tariff to Rs 1.50 per unit for those who consumed less than 200 units of electricity every month. It also promises “consumer friendly” amendments to the DERC Act.

AAP: The party seeks to claim credit for bringing the issue of power tariff in the electoral discourse by forcing even the BJP to talk about the issue. It has chosen to attack both the Congress and the BJP over the issue. It claims that while the Congress’ promise of significant cuts in the power tariff was sort of “self indictment”, the BJP was “deceiving” the voters. As the BJP’s advertisements now promise 30 per cent  cut in the power tariff, the AAP questions the veracity of such ads on grounds that what prevented the BJP from doing so “when its central government presented the Delhi budget in Parliament in July last year?”.

BJP: The party advertisements now promise 30 per cent cut in the power tariff and Prime Minister Modi has talked of multi-vendor system to offer multiple choices before the consumer.

Price of Essential Commodities

The BJP could be benefiting from the steep fall in the price of crude oil in international market that had a Domino effect on economy.  However, the Congress and the AAP have chosen to attack the BJP for the failure of the government to check the price of essential commodities.

Development

Development has become a new buzz word during elections following the unprecedented win of the BJP on the development plank in the last General Elections and the subsequent Assembly elections in four states. Thus all the three major political parties – the Congress, the AAP and the BJP, are chanting the development mantra to lure the voters in Delhi unlike the last time when corruption was the major poll issue.
While the Congress in its manifesto claims that development works were stalled for the last one year, the AAP now makes promises like special status and funds for rural areas of Delhi. The BJP’s development agenda for Delhi was spelt out by its CM face, Kiran Bedi, who tweeted about 5 ‘S’ – “Saaksher, Swasth, Sakshum, Surakshit and Sanskari, Dilli; meaning literate, healthy, capable, secure, and ethical” Delhi.

Yet, reports suggest that the aggressive campaigning by the AAP compelled the BJP to put caste and religion ahead of development. This was reflected in the party’s decision to constitute a ‘booth gradation and caste and religious equations’ committee to prepare a database of voters on the basis of caste and religion. The communal flare ups in Trilokpuri and Bawana  constituencies in October, the hate speech by a BJP minister, the issue of conversion and ‘Ghar Vapsi’(home coming), as well as the attacks on churches  in recent times, are seen as an attempt to polarise votes by the saffron brigade. In the process, it is to be seen who between the Congress and the AAP, would be the beneficiary of the minority vote that influence about a dozen seats in Delhi. The Congress obviously has been trying to win over the minorities with claims that during its 15-year-long rule in Delhi, there was not a single incident of communal tension or clash.

The Congress also eyes the poor and promises 25,000 flats to the poor under the Economically Weaker Section category.

Youth

With over 3.5 lakh voters in the last elections, youth are dictating the agenda of all political parties in Delhi this time again. Sops are being promised to them from all corners. The AAP promises creating seven to 10 lakh new jobs in the next five years, free Wi-Fi, and promise to enhance sporting facilities, promoting higher education and ensuring a “drug free” Delhi. Both the AAP as well as the Congress also promise 20 new colleges in the city state.  The Congress also promises 150 new schools and subsidised higher education for targeted low income group.

Incidentally, the BJP has launched an innovative ‘Selfie with Modi’ campaign to woo the young voters. It plans to set up around 2,500 ‘Selfie with Modi’ booths across the city where people will be able to click their photos with a “virtual Narendra Modi”.

Corruption

Unlike the last elections, the issue of corruption seems to have taken the back seat this time, even as the Jan Lokpal issue figures in the AAP’s agenda.  With the CM faces of both the BJP and the AAP – respectively Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal – being part of India Against Corruption, even the Congress’s new face in leadership position, Ajay Maken, enjoys a clean image. Does this mean that all the three main parties are on equal footing so far as corruption is concerned?

Full Statehood

Like the AAP, the Congress too promises to renew its demand for full statehood for the Capital for effective Governance. However, unlike in the past, the BJP seems silent on the issue thus far. Even Kiran Bedi, herself a former Police Officer, in an interview, said that “we don’t need control over police…” However, the issue is likely to find its place in the BJP’s manifesto too. Can Delhi realise its dream of attaining full statehood now? Keep the fingers crossed.