NEW DELHI: “If we fall apart like this, it won’t be good for the country … ” Omar Abdullah’s warning on opposition unity could not have been more timely. The just-concluded Delhi assembly elections threaten to irreversibly impact opposition’s politics with the INDIA bloc divided down the middle.
The AAP and the Congress – who were allies in May 2024 Lok Sabha elections, became bitter rivals in the assembly elections leaving no stone unturned to attack, expose and discredit each other. Their open, bitter spats and below the belt personal attacks right through the campaign made headlines giving enough ammunition to the BJP to mock and take swipes against INDIA bloc and opposition unity.
The Congress charge against the ruling AAP was led by Rahul Gandhi, who literally roasted Arvind Kejriwal like never before. Rahul’s attacks against the former Delhi chief minister over alleged corruption in liquor scam case and ‘sheesh mahal’ politics was as shrill and sharp as the BJP’s.
Sample these election speeches by Rahul:
“The truth is that when Kejriwal came, he wanted to do a new type of politics. He came in a wagon R and went straightway to the parking lot of ‘sheesh mahal’. A house of crores of rupees. Corruption. Pollution. The infrastructure that Sheila ji (former Delhi chief minister) had built – roads, bridges, flyovers, development work that was done, he has destroyed all of that.”
“There are 9 people in Kejriwal’s team. There is no Dalit, Adivasi, backward class or minority in this leadership team. This is also a party of 2-3 per cent.”
“Kejriwal had claimed to bring a change in Delhi politics. But the biggest ever corruption — liquor scam — was done by Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia. Five years ago, he said that he would take a dip in Yamuna and drink its water. Forget about Yamuna water, you should drink the water made available to jhuggis here.”
“Five years ago, Kejriwal had said that he would drink Yamuna water, and take a dip in Yamuna. He is roaming around with a water bottle and saying that the Haryana government or someone else has made it dirty. Kejriwal, the responsibility is yours.”
“He (Kejriwal) speaks lies one after another just like Modi, there is no difference. There is only one thing, probably Kejriwal is even more ‘chalaak (cunning)’ than even Modi. So, you must not forget who stands with you, who protects the Constitution and who speaks the truth.”
Not just Rahul, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who currently heads the INDIA bloc, also joined Kejriwal bashing.
“While Modi is “jhoothon ka sardar”, Kejriwal has turned out to be his “baap (father)” in speaking lies. Kejriwal made false promises and abused the Congress. He tried to defame us. He is the same person who used to say ‘I am fighting against corruption, we have to remove corruption and bring Lokpal’. He brought elderly Anna Hazare to Delhi, duped him, lied and took people’s votes,” Kharge said.
Emboldened by the party line, other Delhi Congress leaders also sharpened their attacks. Ajay Maken went a step ahead and called Kejriwal “anti-national and farziwal”. The AAP had reacted sharply to this remark and had then threatened to campaign for removal of AAP from the INDIA bloc. He made the anti-national attack both at the beginning and at the end of the campaign, perhaps dropping enough hints that the animosity between the two parties may continue beyond the elections.
“I have said this before and I am saying it now that Kejriwal is an anti-national. His coming to power in Delhi or anywhere else is ‘deshdroh’. We should be careful of such a person. I and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa told in detail the reasons we called him anti-national. We also gave the proof for the same in a press conference. We feel sad when we see that Kejriwal is promoting the pro-Khalistan forces in Punjab. That is why we come forward and say that he is doing anti-national work and it is not only we who are saying this,” Maken said on the last day of campaigning.
Kejriwal returns fire, targets Rahul over National Herald case
The AAP also did not spare the Congress and accused the grand-old-party of doing jugalbandi with the BJP. AAP leaders claimed that the Congress was contesting Delhi elections only to ensure Kejriwal’s defeat.
Kejriwal himself launched a sharp counterattack against Rahul targeting him over the National Herald case and land grab case involving Robert Vadra.
Here is how Kejriwal responded to Congress attacks:
“Modi puts people in jail even by making fake cases like the liquor scam. Why haven’t you and your family been arrested in open-and-shut cases like National Herald? How did Robert Vadra get a clean chit from BJP? It is better if you don’t preach on fear and bravery.”
“People are asking why Rahul Gandhi is silent on ‘Rajmahal’ Today, Rahul ji repeated BJP’s speech in Delhi. Tell the public what agreement has been reached between the BJP and Congress?”
“Why waste your votes on the Congress? The Congress will not win, it will just cut our votes. The Congress and the BJP are fighting this election together to defeat the AAP. Vote to make someone win, not to make someone lose.”
When Rahul said “I am not sure about other party’s leaders whether they are afraid of PM Modi or not but Arvind Kejriwal trembles in front of the PM,” Kejriwal reacted sharply and said: “Don’t preach on fear and bravery. The country knows who is a coward and who is brave.”
Clearly, the two parties as rivals in Delhi were unsparing in their attacks on each other. The bitterness that started with failed alliance talks in Haryana turned into full blown rivalry in Delhi. If the exit polls are proved true on February 8, the divide between the two parties could get uglier and much deeper. AAP has all along maintained that the sole objective of the Congress in Delhi election was to defeat Kejriwal. It may lobby with other INDIA partners for exclusion of Congress accusing it of helping the BJP and weakening the opposition forces.
On the other hand, a victory for AAP will further sideline the Congress within the INDIA bloc as several key allies had openly backed Kejriwal over the grand-old-party. Congress, which has failed to open its account in Delhi assembly in the last two elections, may be pushed to the corner with another no show in Delhi. However, a the party may not mind a weakened Arvind Kejriwal as AAP had managed to register its presence in several states.
So, the big question is: Can AAP and Congress be on the same platform INDIA once again? Well, we will have to wait and see because we all know nothing is impossible in politics.
Check out the latest news about Delhi Elections 2025, including key constituencies such as Kalkaji, Karol Bagh, Tilak Nagar, New Delhi, Laxmi Nagar, Badarpur, Ghonda, Krishna Nagar, Model Town, Rithala, Trilokpuri, Najafgarh, and Matia Mahal.