On Sunday, Arvind Kejriwal took oath as the Chief Minister of Delhi for the third consecutive time. Only Sheila Dixit has achieved this feat before in Delhi. While its 2013 performance as a political greenhorn was promising and its landslide victory in 2015 historic, it’s AAP’s 2020 victory which is arguably the most politically significant. For it has proven that 2015 was not just a flash in the pan, rather it represents something that has deeper political roots. The significance of winning more than half of the vote share and about 90 percent of the seats twice in a row simply cannot be wished away.
Initial analyses of the election results highlighted how the almost identical contrast between the results of the Parliament and Assembly elections in 2014-2015 and 2019-2020 indicates how Delhi has discerning voters who distinguish between these elections. However, Kejriwal’s strategic silence or ambivalence about divisive national issues like the CAA-NRC protests has split the opinion of political commentators. While some have appreciated AAP’s tactic of focusing on its governance record, others have argued that by not taking on the BJP on larger issues, it has forfeited the ideological battle.
Beyond these debates, it is important to examine the political import of these electoral results. Does AAP represent an alternative or new brand of politics? What is the relevance of such politics in other parts of India?