With the municipal bypolls being held on May 15, the three main political parties have intensified campaign for the “semi-finals” of the 2017 MCD polls. While the AAP is making a foray into the Municipal Corporation, the ruling-BJP is trying to counter AAP’s allegations of “corruption” in the civic bodies and contest the polls on development agenda propelled by the Central Government whereas the Congress is trying to revive itself after being decimated in 2015 Assembly elections.
While the bypolls are being conducted to elect councillor for the 13 empty wards, it has far bigger political implications in 2017 MCD elections.
For the AAP, the bypoll will be a litmus test. Also, the party will come to know whether its water and power subsidy plank has helped it keep Delhiites happy. Besides, it will set the tone for 2017 municipal corporation elections. If the AAP wins sizeable votes, it will set the tone for the upcoming 2017 polls and may also repeat the 2015 Assembly polls’ show of victory.
The ruling-BJP has been under the fire for “corrupt” practices and directionless leadership after the Assembly poll debacle last year. The party could manage only three seats in 2015 Assembly elections. The bypolls will reflect whether the BJP, who has been ruling the MCD for the last 14 years, has managed to consolidate its vote bank or learn from its mistakes. If the party is able to secure almost four seats, it will bolster the party’s chances to make a comeback in 2017 showdown. But if the win comes AAP or Congress way, the BJP might find it difficult to win the MCD elections for the fourth time.
Delhi BJP secretary Ashish Sood said, “For BJP, all the municipal elections are important. We were able to stop AAP’s surge in the university elections after AAP’s victory in Assembly polls. This election on 13 wards of MCD will show whether the allocation of `526 crore of AAP to exercise their strategy of blowing its own trumpet worked or not.”
He, however, added that there is no link of these by elections with the upcoming 2017 MCD elections. “Both the elections are two different ball games,” Sood said.
For the Congress, bypolls could act as the silver lining in the time of poll debacles. The party’s revival is pegged on the result of these polls after it was left with no seats in the last Assembly elections. Of the total 272 seats of Delhi Municipal Corporation, BJP commands over 138 seats while the Congress has total 78 seats.
According to party insiders, if the Congress manages to get minimum two to three seats, it will be a revival of the party in Delhi.
“This bypoll is important for Congress revival in Delhi politics. Every bypoll is important for our party, just like it is for another. In Assembly polls, AAP got 67 seats, BJP three and Congress got none. We have a challenge because we had zero score and with that our graph suffered a downfall, this election is an opportunity to revive our graph,” said Congress leader Mukesh Goel.