Arvind Kejriwal wins New Delhi Constituency
February 10, 2015
Even as none could have predicted the landslide victory of the AamAadmi Part in Delhi assembly election, it was but predictable that the Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal would win from New Delhi assembly constituency, and he did register a big victory with a margin of over 26,000 votes. The reason was quite simple – the rivals against him were not just his match. Besides, his roadshows and rallies were enough indicators as they were attracting sizeable crowds. 
Consider the case of the Congress candidate against him, Kiran Walia. Though a veteran, this was the first time that she was contesting from the New Delhi assembly segment. Wasn’t it rather onerous a task before her, given the fact, that last time she had not just lost the elections as a sitting legislator from Malviya Nagar against a little know AAP candidate Somnath Bharti, she had stood a dismal third then. With the Congress’s fortunes hitting a low since then everywhere in the country, it was indeed a brave effort on her part to contest against Kejriwal. As for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Nupur Sharma, she was making her debut in big time politics. With a candidate as formidable as Kejriwal, it was rather asking for too much from a young Nupur. After all, assembly elections are much different from contesting and winning the Delhi University Students’ Union President’s elections! In fact it would rather have been a surprise had Kejriwal lost his seat that he had so comfortably won in 2013 by defeating the then sitting chief minister Sheila Dikshit by a margin of 25,864 votes. Consider that the AAP’s founder was still a debutant into electoral politics then while Dikshit had won that seat three times in a row! That famous victory did make the political greenhorn earn the sobriquet of a giant killer. That Kejriwal, despite having earned the rather dubious title of a “bhagora” (someone who ran away from responsibilities) after unceremoniously quitting the Chief Ministerial post just in 49 days, could retain the confidence of the voters also speaks volumes of his persuasive skills.Not that he was able to convince the people about the reason behind his quitting; he also showed enough maturity in managing his elections.Yet, for a person who had no compunction in throwing his hat in the ring against the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in far off Varanasi in the last general elections and still coming a commendable second by garnering 2,09,238 votes, his popularity was always in the upswing. In the process, he demonstrated that his booth level management was better than the BJP or the Congress. That none other than Prime Minister Modi was forced to identify and target him as the main rival speaks volumes of Kejriwal’s political acumen. Yet, it was better said than done. He had an onerous task at hand and thus his own victory was very crucial for the political survival of the AAP as his name is synonymous with his political outfit. After his party’s below par performance in the last general elections, Kejriwal had realised the futility of trying his luck in other poll bound states and instead focussed solely on Delhi where his own credibility was at stake after his party could lead in just 10 assembly segments of the seven parliamentary constituencies then. He concentrated on Delhi and went all out to make his presence felt. With his victory he has proved a point to his rivals – that he is now a formidable force inpolitics and none can write his off as of now.
Consider the case of the Congress candidate against him, Kiran Walia. Though a veteran, this was the first time that she was contesting from the New Delhi assembly segment. Wasn’t it rather onerous a task before her, given the fact, that last time she had not just lost the elections as a sitting legislator from Malviya Nagar against a little know AAP candidate Somnath Bharti, she had stood a dismal third then. With the Congress’s fortunes hitting a low since then everywhere in the country, it was indeed a brave effort on her part to contest against Kejriwal. As for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Nupur Sharma, she was making her debut in big time politics. With a candidate as formidable as Kejriwal, it was rather asking for too much from a young Nupur. After all, assembly elections are much different from contesting and winning the Delhi University Students’ Union President’s elections! In fact it would rather have been a surprise had Kejriwal lost his seat that he had so comfortably won in 2013 by defeating the then sitting chief minister Sheila Dikshit by a margin of 25,864 votes. Consider that the AAP’s founder was still a debutant into electoral politics then while Dikshit had won that seat three times in a row! That famous victory did make the political greenhorn earn the sobriquet of a giant killer. That Kejriwal, despite having earned the rather dubious title of a “bhagora” (someone who ran away from responsibilities) after unceremoniously quitting the Chief Ministerial post just in 49 days, could retain the confidence of the voters also speaks volumes of his persuasive skills.Not that he was able to convince the people about the reason behind his quitting; he also showed enough maturity in managing his elections.Yet, for a person who had no compunction in throwing his hat in the ring against the BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in far off Varanasi in the last general elections and still coming a commendable second by garnering 2,09,238 votes, his popularity was always in the upswing. In the process, he demonstrated that his booth level management was better than the BJP or the Congress. That none other than Prime Minister Modi was forced to identify and target him as the main rival speaks volumes of Kejriwal’s political acumen. Yet, it was better said than done. He had an onerous task at hand and thus his own victory was very crucial for the political survival of the AAP as his name is synonymous with his political outfit. After his party’s below par performance in the last general elections, Kejriwal had realised the futility of trying his luck in other poll bound states and instead focussed solely on Delhi where his own credibility was at stake after his party could lead in just 10 assembly segments of the seven parliamentary constituencies then. He concentrated on Delhi and went all out to make his presence felt. With his victory he has proved a point to his rivals – that he is now a formidable force inpolitics and none can write his off as of now.
Comments
Post a Comment