Delhi Election: Middle Class & Purvanchali Voters Back BJP

Aakhir Tak – In Shorts

1. The BJP is set to return to power in Delhi after 27 years.
2. The middle class and Purvanchali voters have shifted their support to the BJP.
3. The BJP is leading in most of the middle-class-dominated seats across Delhi.
4. The BJP is also leading in most of the seats in the Trans Yamuna region.
5. Kejriwal’s attempt to woo Purvanchali voters did not succeed.

Aakhir Tak – In Depth

Delhi’s middle class and Purvanchali voters, who played a key role in ensuring the AAP’s landslide victory in the Delhi polls in 2015 and 2020, seem to have shifted to the BJP, with the saffron party on its way to forming a government in the capital after 27 years. The Delhi Election result is startling.

The BJP is ahead in most of the middle-class-dominated seats across West Delhi, East Delhi, South Delhi, Central Delhi and New Delhi, as well as in the 25 seats where Purvanchali voters, people from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, hold significant electoral influence. This is a big achievement for BJP.

The BJP has gained the most in West Delhi and New Delhi districts, where it won zero seats in 2020. Out of 15 Assembly segments in South Delhi district, the BJP is leading in 11 of the 15 seats. In the 2020 polls, the AAP won 14 seats. The BJP has performed well in the Delhi Election.

In the 20 seats in the Trans Yamuna region, which is dotted with unauthorised colonies, the BJP has taken a significant lead in over 12 seats, with the AAP ahead in eight.

This marks a significant turnaround for the BJP, which won only 3 and 8 seats in the 2015 and 2020 elections respectively.

Delhi’s Middle Class Upset with AAP?

The fact that former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lost the New Delhi seat to BJP’s Parvesh Verma gave ample signs that the middle-class, which comprises around 40 per cent of the Delhi voters, is disgruntled with the AAP. The defeat of Arvind Kejriwal is also surprising.

For the BJP, the Budget relief for the middle class, where income up to Rs 12 lakh was made tax-free, coupled with their unhappiness over the AAP’s governance record on issues such as air and water pollution, and infrastructure development seems to have paid dividends.

The announcement of the 8th Pay Commission just ahead of the Delhi elections is another positive for the BJP, as Delhi has a large number of government employees as voters.

The BJP was also well aware that the freebies promised by the AAP played a major role in the last two elections in helping the party attract middle- and lower-middle class votes. Thus, instead of attacking AAP’s “revadi culture”, the BJP assured the Delhi voters that it would not stop the schemes like free electricity and free bus rides if it wins.

Purvanchali Voters Migrate Towards BJP

Another voter base of the AAP that seems to have moved towards the BJP is the Purvanchali community, who make up around 30% of the city’s electorate. However, the BJP’s ploy to field trusted allies like JD(U) in Burari and LJP (R) in Deoli to pull in the Purvanchali voters seems to have not paid off as trends show the AAP leading in the seats.

Overall, the trends paint a grim picture for the AAP. The lead-up to the elections saw Kejriwal, perhaps sensing a shift, invoke Purvanchali sentiments and accuse the BJP-led Haryana government of “poisoning” the Yamuna River.

The Yamuna is very much revered among the Purvanchali community and visuals of devotees praying to the Sun God surrounded by toxic froth in the river has become an annual affair. Even though the AAP appeared to play on the back foot, and accepted that it failed in its commitment to clean the Yamuna, the Purvanchalis seem to have backed the BJP this time. The results of the Delhi Election are astonishing.

The BJP also pounced on Arvind Kejriwal’s charge that the saffron party was manipulating electoral rolls by registering a large number of “fake voters” from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to woo the community.

Aakhir Tak – Key Takeaways to Remember

In the Delhi Election, the Middle Class and Purvanchali voters supported the BJP. AAP did not get the support of these voters. The BJP may form government in Delhi after 27 years.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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