AAP to go solo in Delhi polls

After suffering a setback in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has reaffirmed its decision to contest the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections independently.

AAP spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said, “We will contest alone in Delhi. We are capable of doing it. We will put forward our work and will work hard.”

She accused the Congress of not valuing alliance partners, pointing to the party’s performance in recent elections in Haryana as an example of its overconfidence.

“The Congress has had zero seats in the Delhi Assembly for the past 10 years, yet AAP offered Congress three seats in the Lok Sabha elections; still, they did not find it necessary to take allies along in Haryana,” she said.

Her statement comes amid growing speculation about potential alliances for the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, scheduled for February, where the AAP is expected to face stiff competition from the BJP.

This announcement is a significant blow to the Congress, which has not had any representation in the Delhi Legislative Assembly since 2013.

In Haryana, the AAP had demanded 10 seats during alliance talks, but the Congress was firm on offering only seven. The negotiations failed to materialise, and both parties faced a setback, with AAP drawing a blank.

The AAP has been at the helm in Delhi since 2015, under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, and is now gearing up for its third consecutive term in the Capital.

However, the political environment in Delhi has grown more competitive, with the BJP’s consistent focus on expanding its influence in the city and the Congress looking to revive its position after being sidelined in the past elections.

While the AAP has maintained its hold on Delhi politics for nearly a decade, the upcoming elections present new challenges.

The ruling AAP has come under scrutiny from investigative agencies, including the ED and CBI, over the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Several top AAP leaders have faced jail time, starting with Satyendar Jain, followed by Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh. Kejriwal himself was arrested in March 2024. However, all leaders, except Jain — who is also allegedly involved in a money laundering case — have been granted bail.

Tensions between AAP and Lieutenant-Governor VK Saxena have further complicated Delhi’s governance, with ongoing clashes over administrative authority and public policy.

Meanwhile, the BJP is expected to push hard for a change in leadership, leveraging its influence at the Central level and recent electoral gains in other states.

The Congress, though largely marginalised, could still act as a spoiler if it manages to improve its vote share, especially in areas where anti-incumbency sentiment against AAP is rising.