Despite almost being on the verge of beating the 15-year anti-incumbency by collecting 104 of the 250 seats in the MCD polls, BJP’s shrill and negative campaigning seems to have damaged its prospects in its battle against the AAP.

The loss of MCD seats by the AAP in the constituencies of their two powerful Ministers — Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain — is a reflection that all was not “that good” for Arvind Kejriwal’s party and all was not “that bad” for the BJP despite their being in power in the civic body for 15 long years.

Besides not offering any fresh and revitalising programmes to the people of Delhi during their rule in the MCD, the BJP’s negative campaign of deriding the leaders of their main political rival seemingly undid the saffron poll strategy, observers feel.

In the major part of its campaign, the BJP was “reveling” in the controversies and allegations against the AAP leaders instead of “factually” countering the AAP promises and schemes made to Delhites and giving a better developmental roadmap to the voters.

BJP’s daily hunt for anti-AAP allegations and attempt to “fix” the alleged one-time crusader against corruption as being “most corrupt” seemed to have backfired and could not become a substitute for Kejriwal’s tangible “free electricity” and free bus rides for women in Delhi.

The small mountains of garbage, broken roads and potholes in and around the national Capital could not have been improved by proving corruption charges against the AAP leaders.

“Corruption has never been a real issue in elections and seldom fetched voters,” said a BJP leader requesting anonymity.

The BJP’s shrill and almost abusive speak of “sharab” against rivals in their daily press conferences , ironically, gave AAP an edge which tactfully spoke of “cleaning garbage” from the city.

The BJP failed to provide a developmental narrative to the people who needed it desperately to give a “pro-incumbency vote”