MCD Elections: AAP, BJP Launch Theme Songs; Corruption To Garbage Landfills Featured As Major Issues

What does it mean to have poll buzz in the air? Nowadays, literally it means the theme songs of the political parties that set the mood.

As the poll campaign for the upcoming MCD polls has hit the streets, both of the major contenders BJP and AAP have come up with their theme songs, a common trend among political parties in recent times.

Sung by Timarpur MLA and chief whip in Delhi assembly Dilip Pandey, AAP’s theme song– “MCD me bhi Kejriwal” calls for a beautiful, garbage and corruption free Delhi. For the last few months, AAP has aggressively been invoking Delhi’s three landfill sites, the issue of parking, and stray animals. While releasing the song Deputy CM of Delhi, Manish Sisodia referred to the it as an appeal by the people of Delhi.

“People gave CM Arvind Kejriwal one opportunity, and he improved healthcare and education, provided free energy, and sent senior citizens on free pilgrimages. But during its 17 years in power in MCD BJP just provided mountains of garbage. Why couldn't the BJP-run MCD do anything in 17 years if Kejriwal could bring forth so much development in just five years?” Sisodia asked.

On the other, BJP’s theme song “BJP ka Matlab Seva” (BJP means service) is quite a typical BJP song that praises Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his Covid management supported by visuals showing him attending people and speaking in rallies. Visuals of temples are also featured in it.

The song also blames AAP for turning the Yamuna into a “drain”, and transforming Delhi into a "gas chamber”. It says had there been no BJP rule in MCD, AAP would have introduced Alcohol shops everywhere across Delhi.

The singer is as expected, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari. Talking about the song, he said, through songs, “we have also tried to convey the problems faced by the people of Delhi in the last eight years under the Kejriwal government.” He credited the work done by MCD in the last terms which made people continue to repose faith in them. He also hoped that BJP will come back to power again.

BJP-AAP Tussles in MCD

This time, the main opposition to the BJP, which has been leading (MCD) for three consecutive terms since 2007 is AAP. In 2017, which was its first municipal election, AAP won 48 of the 272 wards in the elections of the trifurcated MCD, while BJP won 181. AAP is looking to accrue the benefit of anti-incumbency that the BJP is facing – the discontentment among MCD workers over salary, and garbage issue may benefit in AAP’s favour.

BJP has been continuously hitting salvos at AAP over now-scrapped liquor policy, Delhi Jal Board controversy and alleged transport scam to corner the Kejriwal-led government. BJP’s use of the trope of anti-corruption on which AAP once climbed to success is a new strategy in contrast to its time-tested policies of terming the opposition ‘anti-Hindu’.

The scuffle between the parties nevertheless stooped low with BJP’s recent allegations that AAP MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi had asked for money against nomination for MCD polls. Following the complaints of Gopal Khatri who allegedly was charged Rs. 90 lakhs for a MCD ticket, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested three people, one of them being close relative of the accused MLA.

While BJP is anchoring its campaign through corruption jibes against AAP, the latter is using the garbage landfills, potholes in the street and parking issues to pull the strings of mundane crisis to attract voters.

Delimitation of MCD: A major point of contention

MCD elections this time will also be watched by the political pundits closely as the delimitation of wards have been a matter of major contention. The MCD election whereas was scheduled in the first half of this year, the decision of the union government to merge three MCDs into one required a fresh delimitation exercise leading to delays in the polls. The total number of wards has now been reduced to 250 from 272.

As the EC placed the draft delimitation report in the public domain, AAP raised objections and said that in several wards there is a huge population disparity. The delimitation of the wards also made the ticket distribution a difficult task.

Both the BJP and AAP have been facing internal protests over tickets. Things took an ugly turn former AAP councillor Haseeb-ul-Hasan, being denied ticket, climbed on an electricity tower. The video took the social media to storms. Reportedly, there has been dissent within BJP as well. Just a few days back, 11 BJP leaders from Rohini’s ward no. 53 joined AAP citing lack of recognition despite hard work.

MCD is going to polls on December 4 and the results will be declared on December 7.