The Big FPJ debate this month was centered around the Delhi election results and the fall of AAP after a 20 year reign in the capital. We decided on the Delhi voter and discussed the larger Implications of the Delhi election result for the rest of the country and for upcoming state elections such as Bihar polls expected towards the end of 2025.
The debate was anchored by Afrida Ali, executive editor, FPJ and senior journalist Anushka Jagtiani. The distinguished panelists included:
Suhel Seth – managing partner of strategic brand marketing consultancy firm, Counselage India. Brand strategist, bestselling author, columnist.
Tuhin Sinha, National spokesperson BJP
And author of political thrillers, historical novels, as well as columnist and content strategist
Shaina NC- National Spokesperson and Leader Of the Shivsena Eknath Shinde Faction. A well known fashion designer and social worker.
Question to Shaina – what did the BJP do right and what did AAP do wrong?
The, AAP only did wrong, that’s the answer to your question. If you look at the track Record I mean how much can you go on about freebies, subsidies and sops. In a city like Delhi not one new school, not one new college. And even when you look at healthcare, that was highly talked about, it’s highly debatable. So basically AAP was only engaging a certain section and that section has rejected them. On the other hand. You see the ND, the track record of Prime Minister Modi. And I’m glad that Delhi has made history after 27 years where you have the same government in the centre and in the state. For all who believe that freebies gives great government , that’s a fallacy.
2. Question to tuhin Sinha – after delhi election result can we establish that the RSS is important for the BJP to win an election?
RSS and BJP have a symbiotic relationship. The RSS is not important from an election point of view. RSS is generally important in terms of setting the national discourse. And I think we’ve done it brilliantly post lok sabha. Even prior to that. Regular meetings and coordination happens between RSS and BJP all the time. Probably the media is not invited to them and that is why you’re not aware of it. But I think for tye Delhi elections there are larger things beyond the BJP RSs equation. The Aam Aadmi Party has been the biggest political scam in India and I think that scam finally stands unearthed.
Q 3. Question for Suhel Seth on the Kejriwal factor – he was their winning ticket earlier. Now the same kejriwal factor is bringing the entire party down. Are people voting on the image of the leader or the deliverables? How did the Delhi voter decide to vote out AAP?
The Delhi voter is essentially dumb. they are unintelligent people who have voted unintelligent people in the past so don’t give too much of credit to the Delhi voter’s intellect. The Delhi voter is a self-serving, greed driven person who wants freebies. So for 10 years the Delhi voter actually believed that this joker was actually going to do any work. Remember a man is known by his precedence. He got rid of everyone who brought him to the fore. Whether it was Anna Hazare, Yogendra Yadav, Shazia Ilmi and all the rest. All of them fell by the wayside. He (kejriwal was a rogue. And rogues take time to be identified).
4. Question for Suhel- is it the end of Kejriwal or can he be re- elected ?
Ans: will he be re elected ? Perhaps. Public memory in India is short. Remember in 1977 you threw out Indira Gandhi and in 1980 she was back. The Indian voter is by and large stupid. People were not angry with Kejriwal they were disillusioned. Anger means he would have been routed but he still has 22 seats. He also controls a border state, which is very worrisome.
Question to Shaina NC on Bhagwant Mann. People are saying that the same that was done to Eknath Shinde in Maharashtra will be done to Mann in Punjab. He will be Shinde 2.0 ?
Firstly, Eknath Shinde is a man of the masses. The way he has delivered when he was CM for 2.5 years. He is not CM now because BJP had the numbers. This is alliance politics and as an ally we will continue to work for the larger interest of Maharashtra. This has to be done via consensus. The fact that we (Shiv Sena Shinde) have 60 MLAs in Maharashtra means we are a force to reckon with.
