New Delhi (24.03.2025): Having trounced the AAP in Delhi, Rekha Gupta of the BJP has taken over reins of Delhi as Chief Minister. She will be presenting her maiden Budget on March 25, 2025 that may showcase commitment of the government to address aspirations of Delhiites. In fact, the BJP had gone overboard by making big promises to contain AAP and to grab power at any cost after a gap of 27 years. Now, challenges galore for the saffron outfit to fulfil the long list of promises that it made to the people.
Sources said that the Delhi CM is keen to continue all freebies provided by the previous AAP government that included 200 units free electricity, free water and free bus ride for women. She may include additional grant of Rs 5,100 crore to provide Rs 2,500 support to the women folk and two free gas cylinders to housewives every year on Holi and Deepawali. Thus, the first budget of the Delhi BJP government may get infused with list of freebies promised by the BJP. This seems to be the initial approach of the BJP to look politically correct with the vast electorate.
The BJP may also start pitching for several goals altogether including Delhi and NCR region. Delhi attracts attention from all over the country as the city government hogs huge media limelight every day. It impacts neighbouring states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan and beyond. The list of freebies being granted for around 3 crore Delhiites will create buzz in several election going states. Bihar is a crucial state where BJP is pitching strongly for Assembly Elections in October-November this year. UP and Gujarat assembly polls will be held in 2027. The freebies experiment in Delhi may create ripples beyond Delhi.
Another pertinent factor is the presence of the Congress and the AAP in the city and both these opposition party leaders will not let the BJP government get away easily for its smallest failure. AAP is still very strong with around 43 per cent vote share and 22 seats in the Delhi Assembly. Probably this is the reason that the BJP chose to include all freebies of the AAP government and added much more to live up to expectations of the people.
In terms of development in recent years, Arvind Kejriwal faltered badly. He left this magnificent city in a precarious condition. He nurtured his huge national ambitions at the altar of Delhi’s development. Former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had worked hard to make Delhi a top-class city that Kejriwal destroyed for ten years. Though he claimed to be a visionary, Kejriwal could not salvage the pride of Delhi. The good administration of Sheila Dikshit and a nightmarish experience created by AAP for ten years makes the task even more difficult for Rekha Gupta.
The BJP government knows the factual position better. The new cabinet is carefully picking up some agenda that will impact this city immediately. The CM visited Yamuna bank soon after the first cabinet meeting and performed Yamuna Arti. The cleansing of Yamuna is being undertaken on priority. This will send a strong message as the former AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal was making hue and cry that the Haryana government was poisoning Yamuna water to send it to Delhi.
The BJP also understands it well that the politics of Delhi is certainly different from the rest of the country where Hindutva factor alone cannot take it very far. Despite winning Lok Sabha polls in 2014 and 2019 by huge majority, the BJP was unable to make inroads in Delhi. Having secured the victory in 2025 assembly elections, the BJP plans to focus the developmental agenda wherein infrastructure development including construction and repair of roads, laying pipeline for drinking waters to reach maximum people of Delhi, building new flyover to free people from traffic jams, improve the air pollution level, freeing Yamuna from pollution and developing river front will bring good dividend.
The BJP is considering the upgradation of village infrastructure. The metro network will be strengthened. The Yamuna riverfront will see the beautification just like the Sabarmati River Front. As the city is facing massive infrastructure crunch, this is one area the BJP can work and showcase all over the country.
With Ram Mandir issue almost completing its political journey for the BJP and Kumbh mela at Prayagraj giving entire credit to UP CM Yogi Adityanath, the combination of development and soft Hindutva seems to be the effective plank for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to showcase in 2029 Lok Sabha polls. The development projects to be initiated in Delhi has the potential to provide nationwide dividend to the BJP in the crucial 2029 Lok Sabha polls.
(Sanjay K Jha)
