The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) decisive victory in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections marks a historic turning point in the capital’s political landscape. After 27 years in the opposition, the BJP has secured a resounding win, capturing 48 out of 70 seats, effectively dislodging the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from its decade-long dominance. This electoral success was not a sudden upturn but the result of a meticulously crafted strategy that blended nationalistic fervour, middle-class aspirations, and targeted welfare promises. The BJP’s campaign, helmed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, revolved around the narrative of ‘double-engine governance’—a call for synergy between the central and state governments under the party’s rule. Prominent BJP leaders tirelessly canvassed in the capital, highlighting their developmental roadmap and drawing comparisons between the governance models of states under BJP rule versus AAP-led Delhi. The BJP strategically engaged middle-class voters by addressing key urban concerns such as tax reliefs, metro expansion, and infrastructure development. Another crucial factor was the BJP’s effective engagement with Delhi’s women voters and marginalized communities through promises of cash transfers, subsidized LPG cylinders, and enhanced security measures. Additionally, the party’s persistent narrative on nationalism and the fight against corruption resonated strongly, especially as AAP was entangled in a series of corruption allegations.
Furthermore, the timing of the elections played into BJP’s advantage. The central government’s recent economic relief measures, including tax cuts and increased subsidies for essential commodities, bolstered the party’s standing among urban and lower-middle-class voters. The Modi government’s push for economic recovery post-pandemic, combined with infrastructural advancements such as the expansion of expressways and redevelopment of key markets, gave the BJP a tangible track record to present to the electorate. The political turmoil within the opposition also contributed to BJP’s sweeping victory. The Congress, though showing slight gains, failed to present a united front, and AAP, once a formidable opponent, found itself weakened by legal entanglements and leadership instability. The BJP successfully capitalized on AAP’s vulnerability, turning its governance shortcomings into a rallying point for change. The party’s robust cadre network and meticulous booth-level management further ensured voter mobilization, leading to an unprecedented surge in turnout among BJP’s traditional support base. The saffron party also benefited from the strategic deployment of Union ministers and chief ministers from other BJP-ruled states, underscoring the significance of the Delhi elections in the national political context. This victory not only signals the party’s growing dominance but also strengthens its position in the Rajya Sabha, giving it greater legislative manoeuvrability in the run-up to the 2029 general elections. The Aam Aadmi Party’s drastic fall from grace—plummeting from 62 seats in 2020 to just 22 in 2025—is indicative of growing voter disillusionment with the party’s governance model. Once heralded as the torchbearer of alternative politics, AAP struggled to maintain its appeal as a party of change. At the heart of its downfall was the controversy surrounding Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest in an alleged corruption scandal linked to the liquor policy. Although Kejriwal and his party claimed political vendetta, the timing of the scandal, coupled with the public perception of AAP’s involvement in corrupt practices, severely damaged its credibility. Kejriwal’s last-minute release and his subsequent resignation as chief minister did little to salvage the party’s image. The arrest of senior leaders, including Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, further weakened the party’s leadership, leaving AAP unable to mount an aggressive counteroffensive against the BJP’s relentless campaign. The loss of key constituencies and the failure to consolidate its traditional voter base exposed deep fractures within the party’s organizational structure. Many voters who once supported AAP for its anti-corruption stance felt betrayed, shifting their allegiance to the BJP, which projected itself as the more stable and governance-oriented alternative.
Beyond the corruption allegations, AAP’s governance fatigue played a pivotal role in its decline. While free electricity, water, and healthcare policies had won substantial goodwill in the past, the sustainability of these schemes came under scrutiny as the Delhi government struggled with financial constraints. The quality of services in government schools and hospitals—once AAP’s flagship achievements—showed signs of stagnation, leading to diminishing public confidence. Additionally, the party’s confrontational stance with the central government on administrative control of Delhi hampered its ability to deliver effectively on its promises. Frequent clashes with the Lieutenant Governor’s office and legal battles over bureaucratic appointments projected an image of inefficiency rather than decisive governance. AAP’s inability to expand its influence beyond Delhi and Punjab also underscored its limitations as a regional party with an uncertain future at the national level. Unlike BJP, which commands a well-oiled electoral machinery across states, AAP’s reliance on Kejriwal’s charisma and a limited set of welfare measures proved insufficient to sustain long-term electoral dominance. The erosion of Muslim and Dalit votes, which largely shifted towards Congress in some pockets, further contributed to AAP’s electoral decline. The party’s failure to recalibrate its political messaging in response to changing voter sentiments ultimately led to its staggering losses in the 2025 elections. For AAP, this defeat necessitates a period of deep introspection. The party must rebuild its credibility by addressing governance shortcomings and demonstrating greater transparency in its administration. Whether Arvind Kejriwal continues to lead AAP or a new leadership emerges will be a crucial determinant of its future prospects. The party must also recalibrate its political strategy, focusing on grassroots mobilization and expanding its appeal beyond urban centers. The Congress, which saw a marginal resurgence in some minority-dominated constituencies, will seek to capitalize on AAP’s decline and position itself as the primary opposition to the BJP. Whether AAP can reclaim its lost ground or fade into political irrelevance remains to be seen. Meanwhile, for the BJP, the challenge is to translate electoral success into meaningful governance, ensuring that its resurgence in Delhi is not short-lived. As the dust settles on this landmark election, one thing is clear—Delhi’s voters have demanded change, and the onus is now on the BJP to deliver on its promises. Whether this marks a new era of political stability or the beginning of another cycle of electoral volatility will depend on how both parties respond to this transformative mandate.