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The fight for Delhi’s 70 Assembly seats is a three-way contest, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) battling to retain power, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pushing for a comeback after 26 years, and Congress seeking a revival following a decade of electoral setbacks. As Delhi heads to the polls on February 5, a recap of the campaign trail reveals intense rallies, sharp accusations, and competing promises aimed at swaying voters.

 

With the campaign deadline closing at 6 pm on Monday, roadshows ended, speeches stopped, and parties turned their focus to the final push for undecided voters. The stage is now set for a fierce electoral showdown.

BJP’s push for a comeback

The BJP, determined to reclaim Delhi after 26 years, conducted a series of high-profile rallies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed five rallies—three after the election schedule was announced and two before. Senior BJP leaders campaigned aggressively, highlighting a development-driven agenda while targeting AAP over alleged governance failures and corruption.
 
The party’s campaign received a boost from the Union Budget, with Modi appealing to middle-class voters in his final rally.
 
The BJP is contesting 68 of the 70 seats, having allocated two to its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)—the Janata Dal (United) and the Lok Janshakti Party.

AAP’s bid for a fourth term

AAP, seeking a third consecutive term, centred its campaign on continuing its welfare initiatives—free electricity, a promised 24x7 water supply, and further improvements in education and healthcare. The party claimed that a BJP-led government would roll back these schemes, an assertion repeatedly denied by BJP leaders, including Modi.
 
Party convener Arvind Kejriwal led AAP’s campaign, addressing at least three rallies daily in the final two weeks. While acknowledging the need for further development, he positioned AAP as the protector of middle-class interests and job opportunities.
 

Congress banks on nostalgia

The Congress, led by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Rajya Sabha Opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge, targeted both AAP and BJP for failing to deliver on promises. The party vowed to revive the pace of development seen during Sheila Dikshit’s tenure as chief minister.
 
After failing to win a single seat in the last two Assembly elections, the Congress is aiming for a comeback. However, with several INDIA bloc members supporting AAP, the party faces a divided Opposition landscape.
 

BJP’s attack on AAP

Modi accused AAP of turning Delhi into an “ATM” for its political expansion, alleging misgovernance. Responding to Kejriwal’s remarks on water contamination, he said, “AAP leaders insult Haryana by blaming them for Delhi’s water quality, but their own political fortunes will sink in the Yamuna.”
 
Union Home Minister Amit Shah called AAP a “scam-ridden government” and urged voters to press the BJP’s lotus symbol “so hard that the glass walls of Kejriwal’s ‘Sheesh Mahal’ (palace of glass) shatter.”
 
“Removing ‘AAPda’ means holding Kejriwal accountable for misgovernance and corruption,” Shah said.
 
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath alleged that AAP facilitated illegal immigration and played a role in the 2020 Delhi riots. “In areas around Jamia, AAP officials helped Bangladeshi illegal immigrants settle in Okhla… I cleared encroachments with bulldozers in Uttar Pradesh. Infiltrators in Delhi have been shielded by AAP,” he claimed.

AAP’s counteroffensive

Kejriwal hit back at Modi’s remarks, saying, “If Delhi’s people don’t vote for you, will you poison their water?”
 
Defending AAP’s welfare schemes, he said, “I am a Baniya (merchant caste), a magician. You just enjoy the benefits, don’t worry about the money.”
 
AAP leader Atishi warned that “pressing the BJP button” would lead to power cuts and the closure of schools and hospitals, while Sanjay Singh accused the BJP of using money, saris, and shoes to sway voters.
 
“Arvind Kejriwal’s government has made Delhi a model of development. BJP has obstructed every initiative of ours. They only engage in hooliganism, but the people of Delhi are wise,” she said.
 

Congress takes aim at Modi and Kejriwal

The Congress, attempting to regain lost ground, attacked both AAP and BJP, positioning itself as the alternative to “divisive” politics.
 
Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at Kejriwal, saying, “He came in a small car wearing a sweater, climbed an electric pole, fell down, and landed in the ‘Sheesh Mahal’.”
 
“The fight is about ideology. On one side, BJP and RSS believe in spreading hate, inciting violence, and scaring people. Wherever they spread hatred, we will open a shop of love,” he said.
 
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra likened Modi and Kejriwal to “crybabies,” saying, “Modiji blames Nehru, Kejriwal blames Modi. I’ve never seen leaders whine so much.”
 
“My father, Rajiv Gandhi, used to face the people and get scolded for unfinished work. Try scolding Modi or Kejriwal, and you’ll be put in jail,” she said.
 
Sandeep Dikshit, son of former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit, questioned Kejriwal’s credentials, saying, “I don’t know what he studied at IIT. Even a primary school student wouldn’t make such statements.”

AAP, BJP file complaints with EC

Amid the heated campaign, both AAP and BJP filed multiple complaints with the Election Commission, citing voter list discrepancies and Kejriwal’s remarks on ammonia levels in the Yamuna river.
 
With over 15 million voters set to decide Delhi’s fate on February 5, the election results will be announced on February 8.

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