As AAP, BJP battle for supremacy, Congress ‘falters’ in outreach drives

As the Congress, BJP and Akali Dal sought to gain maximum mileage from the controversy surrounding AAP’s contentious land pooling policy, the ruling party swiftly intervened to defuse the escalating political crisis. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann wasted no time in scaling AAP’s anti-BJP narrative, especially in light of the Centre’s directive to remove nearly 11 lakh ration cards under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.

Apparently sensing farmers’ anguish with the establishment over the land pooling policy, the saffron party lost no time to kickstart its outreach “BJP De Sevadar Aa Gaye Tuhade Dwar” campaign to “familiarise” voters with various Central schemes.

In a jiffy, AAP’s Delhi leadership backed the INDIA bloc’s allegation of vote theft against the BJP, slamming the Election Commission (EC) for failing to uphold free and fair polls in the country. Back home, the ruling party termed the BJP’s outreach campaign as an “illegal data-gathering exercise” and detained several saffron party leaders under preventive arrest.

The back-to-back developments in the state’s political arena over the last few days appear to be crucial in moulding the urban and rural voters in the run-up to the 2027 Assembly polls.

In the fast changing political scenario, political pundits say that it appears that the BJP has replaced the Congress as the main opponent for AAP. As the Congress is struggling with its internal dissensions and the Akalis still to gain ground, the BJP wants to use the opportunity to the hilt.

Building up the momentum, the BJP through Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini took a dig at AAP for failing to pay monthly Rs 1,100 to women in Punjab. The statement was made as Saini announced monthly assistance of Rs 2,100 for women in Haryana under the ‘Deendayal Laado Laxmi Yojana’.

As the clock is ticking for the state Assembly elections, both AAP and BJP have stepped up their efforts to woo the mass beneficiaries of welfare schemes. While the BJP has mobilised its party cadre and resources to reach out to the intended beneficiaries of Central schemes like the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Aayushman Jan Aarogya Yojana, Vishvkarma Yojana and E-Shram Yojana, AAP is reminding the masses about the free 300 units of electricity, Rs 10 lakh insurance cover, canal water reaching the tail-ends of irrigation channels, besides other schemes.

The developments have unsettled the Congress leadership. With the Assembly elections just 17 months away, party strategists fear that AAP’s resistance to the BJP’s expansion and the former’s strong stance against the saffron party over the alleged removal of ration cards — across both urban and rural pockets — could eat into the Congress vote bank.

Rather, it is a double whammy for the Congress as the BJP and AAP are not only targeting the mass voter base, but also systematically building up its outreach among the OBCs and Hindu voters. Party strategists feel that the OBC, Dalit and Hindu factor would shape the outcome of the next polls.

Saini’s recent announcement to offer jobs to the families of the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots is widely seen as an effort to strengthen support within the Sikh community.”

As the BJP has picked Saini to woo the OBC community, AAP has also stepped up its outreach among Hindu voters. Interestingly, AAP has announced to enact a Hindu temple Act and launched a Sanatan Seva Samiti led by Hindu leader Deepak Bali. The appointment of Aman Arora, as the AAP Punjab chief was also a move in this direction.

Political pundits say that with dissensions running deep in the Congress, the BJP and AAP are trying to re-strategise to woo the voters across the political spectrum – eating into grand old party’s vote bank.