The organizational focus on Delhi assembly elections was evident when the Aam Aadmi Party declared its candidates even before the Election Commission of India declared the polling dates. They were looking for first mover advantage. And it seems they have secured that.
Many families residing in various parts of Delhi have confirmed that they have been approached by AAP workers at least twice or thrice in the last few weeks, while the BJP was yet to communicate to them.
OpIndia.com has found out that the enthusiasm and dedication among AAP workers and supporters for the Delhi elections is currently far more stronger and intense than among the BJP cadres or Congress supporters.
This was indirectly accepted by BJP President Amit Shah too when he asked BJP workers to overcome laziness and indulge in door-to-door campaign for the Delhi assembly elections.
Amit Shah was forced to concede this reality as AAP has launched a high level and high decibel campaign with pro-Kejriwal and pro-AAP posters put in various corners of the cities, apart from door-to-door campaign.
“This huge difference in communication is almost comparable to what we saw during the general elections,” Santosh Kumar, a resident of Mayur Vihar said, “We could see Modi everywhere and Congress was to be seen nowhere during Lok Sabha elections. Similarly now we see Kejriwal everywhere, and BJP nowhere when assembly elections are approaching.”
AAP is also racing ahead in its communication on new media with its supporters very active on social media websites, apart from the party using tools like automated phone calls.
While BJP supporters agree that AAP is more active and more visible at this stage, they claim that once Prime Minister Narendra Modi starts campaigning, the equations will change.
However, political analysts believe that AAP has already worked on a message to checkmate the “Modi wave”. The party is not directly attacking Modi, but they are attacking the local BJP leaders during their campaign.
And this strategy appears to be working. Many residents, whom OpIndia.com talked to, believe that an AAP government in Delhi will be able to extract more concessions from the centre than a BJP government led by some local BJP leader.
“A BJP government in Delhi will follow directions from the center, while an AAP government in the state will fight for the benefits of local people,” Vivek a resident of Preet Vihar told this reporter. Vivek claims that he voted for BJP in the general elections.
So it appears that the slogan of “Modi for PM, Kejriwal for CM”, which was dropped by AAP after social media embarrassment, is working on ground.
It looks like 2015 may not bring “achchhe din” for the BJP.
