Delhi Elections: AAP vs BJP


As Delhi inches closer to the 2025 elections, the political landscape seems to be shaped by both past trends and emerging voter expectations. According to data from the CSDS 2020 survey, the AAP had established itself as a formidable force, with its welfare schemes like Mohalla Clinics and free bus rides leaving a lasting impact.

Over 67.6 percent of respondents then believed that the AAP deserved another chance, and Kejriwal was the clear choice for chief minister with a 55.5 percent preference rate. Fast forward to 2025, these numbers serve as a strong precursor to what might unfold, but there are key factors at play that could influence the outcome.

The AAP, by contrast, remains firmly anchored in its governance model, with development and welfare schemes catering directly to the needs of Delhi’s citizens, an approach that was highly appreciated in 2020 but could just as sharply backfire in 2025. Issues like development, employment, and women’s safety, which dominated voter concerns in 2020, are likely to persist in 2025, giving the AAP’s delivery-oriented governance an edge.

However, in a city known for its dynamic political swings, the BJP’s ability to counter this narrative with fresh strategies and local leadership will determine whether parity emerges or the status quo prevails. For now, the AAP, its model of welfarism, and electoral message appears to hold the fort and electoral advantage heading into 2025 polling and electoral results.

(Deepanshu Mohan is a Professor of Economics, Dean, IDEAS, Office of Inter-Disciplinary Studies, and Director of Centre for New Economics Studies (CNES), OP Jindal Global University. He is a Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics, and a 2024 Fall Academic Visitor to the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Oxford.

Ankur Singh is a Research Assistants with Centre for New Economics Studies (CNES) and members of the InfoSphere team. This is an opinion article, and the views expressed above are the author’s own. The Quint neither endorses nor is responsible for them.)



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