Vikrant Shekhawat : Nov 16, 2024, 01:00 PM
Delhi Politics: With less than two months left for the Delhi Assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has started laying the political chessboard. Arvind Kejriwal's party is moving towards entering the electoral fray with full preparation, where on the one hand the party is attracting voters through door-to-door campaigns, on the other hand it does not want to leave any stone unturned in balancing the caste equations.Focus on Dalit voters: AAP's strategyThis time the Aam Aadmi Party has a special eye on the Dalit community of Delhi. The number of Dalits in Delhi is significant, and keeping this in mind, the party has recently taken two important decisions. First, the party made Mahesh Khinchi the mayoral candidate, who is a Dalit leader and which could be a way for the party to balance the important equation. Khinchi's candidature and his position in the party have sent a strong message among the Dalits in Delhi.In addition, on Friday, the party inducted Veer Singh Dhingan into its fold. Dhingan, who is considered one of the prominent Dalit leaders of Delhi Congress, has now become a part of Aam Aadmi Party. His joining Aam Aadmi Party from Congress further strengthens the party's strategy to garner Dalit votes.Political stature of Veer Singh DhinganFormer MLA from Seemapuri, Veer Singh Dhingan has had a strong position in Delhi politics. He has been a close associate of former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and won from Seemapuri in the 1998, 2003 and 2008 assembly elections. However, he was defeated by Aam Aadmi Party's Dharamveer in the 2013 assembly elections and after that his political influence diminished. Nevertheless, Dhingan's return can help AAP strengthen its position in Dalit votes, especially in areas where the number of Dalits is quite high.Importance of Dalit communityThe population of Dalit community in Delhi is around 17 percent, which can play a decisive role in the assembly elections. In particular, areas like South and East Delhi have a Dalit population of 25-30 percent. According to 2011 data, areas like Saraswati Vihar, Seelampur and Seemapuri have a large Dalit population. The Dalit vote bank in these areas is considered important, and hence the Aam Aadmi Party is making it a part of its strategy.Reserved seats for Dalits and electoral scenarioOut of the total 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly, 12 seats are reserved for Dalits. In the 2020 elections, the Aam Aadmi Party won all these 12 seats, but this time the circumstances have changed a bit. The BJP now looks stronger than before, and the Congress is also trying to attract Dalit votes. According to CSDS, in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP got 49 percent of the Dalit votes, while the Aam Aadmi Party got 28 percent and the Congress got 20 percent. This time it is a challenge for AAP to learn from the mistake made in the Lok Sabha elections and bring Dalit votes in its favor in the assembly elections.Assembly Election Chess: AAP vs BJP and CongressThe Delhi Assembly elections may be held in February 2025, and this time the main contest will be seen between the Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP. Congress is trying its best to make this contest triangular, and if it focuses on the Dalit vote bank, the electoral equations may change. 36 MLAs are needed to form a government in Delhi, and this time the Aam Aadmi Party is entering the electoral fray under the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal, while the BJP is preparing to fight the election battle under its collective leadership.ConclusionThe Delhi Assembly Elections 2024 can prove to be a turning point for the Aam Aadmi Party. While on the one hand the party's strategy is to woo the Dalit voters of Delhi, on the other hand it is putting all its strength to give a tough fight to the BJP and the Congress. Now it will be interesting to see whether Arvind Kejriwal's party is successful in attracting this important community by properly fielding its Dalit leaders in the electoral field or not.