AAP is facing a big challenge in Delhi elections.

Ever since Arvind Kejriwal was released from Tihar Jail on September 13 last year, his entire focus has been on fine-tuning his election strategy to counter the BJP juggernaut.

Although it is only an assembly election, Kejriwal knows that his competition is none other than Prime Minister Modi, who is once again leading the BJP's election campaign from the front. In recent elections in Haryana and Maharashtra, Modi adopted a relatively low profile. This is not so in the capital. in his first election speech Parivartan Rally On 5 January in Delhi, Modi described the AAP government as a “ten-year-long disaster” and urged the public to get rid of this so-called “aapda” (disaster).

AAP is equally aggressive, pointing out how the BJP lacks a leader of stature to challenge Kejriwal, forcing them to rely on Modi as their tried-and-tested election icon. According to the recent C-Voter tracker, AAP is ahead of BJP, with 45.4% respondents supporting it. Broom (broom) while 36% preferred lotus.

Has AAP proved to be a disaster for the people of Delhi? This young party, led by a young generation of simple leaders, has always troubled Modi. Ever since Kejriwal contested against him in Varanasi in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Modi has developed a deep dislike for this challenge.

Modi has worked to defame AAP leaders and the liquor scam has provided the perfect opportunity to his government. Prominent personalities including Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and party treasurer Satyendar Jain were arrested. Kejriwal became the first sitting Chief Minister to be arrested after independence.

Has this harmed AAP's branding? There is no doubt that its credibility has suffered, and AAP can no longer claim to be a separate party.

For Kejriwal, the stakes are high. He knows that he will have to win this election to maintain his status as a serious national player. Contesting the election from the New Delhi constituency, he faces formidable rivals: Sandeep Dikshit, son of three-time Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit, and Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma, son of former Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma.

Parvesh Verma recently came into limelight for distributing money to women through his NGO, excluding Muslim and Punjabi communities. This anti-Punjabi stance is surprising, considering that Punjabis are an important vote bank in Delhi. For example, in Chandni Chowk, Punjabis constitute 17%, second only to Muslims with 20%.

Chandni Chowk was revamped in 2021 at a cost of Rs 100 crore, making the market walkable. While beneficial for buyers, shopkeepers argue that more attention should have been given to parking and senior citizen facilities.

Modi officially launched the BJP campaign on January 4 by handing over 1,675 flats to slum dwellers in Dwarka, which cost only 7% of the total price of the flats. He also inaugurated the World Trade Center at Naoroji Nagar and residential housing at Sarojini Nagar. However, it is unclear whether these efforts will sway voters.

With facilities like free bus travel for women, free medical services, Delhiites enjoy a higher standard of living than residents of most states neighborhood clinics, and advanced government schools providing free education.

Another major battlefield is Kalkaji, where three giants clash. There is a tough contest between Congress leader Alka Lamba, BJP's Ramesh Bidhuri and AAP's outgoing MLA Atishi. Bidhuri faced criticism for her sexist remarks, comparing the smoothness of roads to Priyanka Gandhi's cheeks and making derogatory comments about Atishi. After this the BJP leadership has warned him.

Initially Lamba was reluctant to contest from Kalkaji but wanted to stand in Chandni Chowk, but after discussions with Rahul Gandhi eventually agreed to contest from Kalkaji. The Congress, which has decided to contest the elections alone, sees this election as a fight for survival. If it wins even a few seats, it can play the role of kingmaker in a hung assembly.

However, failure to make gains could lead to political irrelevance for the party in Delhi, leading to losses in Haryana and Maharashtra.

The BJP is trying to divert attention from AAP's welfare schemes and focus on controversies like Kejriwal's expenditure on renovating the CM's bungalow on Flagstaff Road. In turn, AAP highlighted Modi's lavish spending on his Rs 2,700 crore prime ministerial residence, which includes carpets worth Rs 300 crore and chandeliers worth Rs 300 crore. 200 crores.

Amidst this mudslinging, important issues like cleaning the Yamuna river and reducing air pollution – Delhi remains the world's most polluted capital – have been sidelined.

This election is becoming a big challenge for Kejriwal, with his leadership, credibility and future political relevance hanging in the balance.

Rashme Sehgal is a writer and freelance journalist