New Delhi: "I really don't know what is wrong with my party. We were the formidable ruling party just a year ago. Today, we are not even in the race. The fight is between the AAP and the BJP. I am very sad that we are staring at yet another rout in just 13 months. The only consolation is the AAP is gaining at our cost, not the BJP" said a senior leader of the Congress when IBNLIVE met him at his apartment overlooking Delhi's elite Lodhi gardens.
He claims that even the party chief Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi are also extremely worried about the almost near death situation of the party in Delhi.
He feels that if the BJP loses Delhi Assembly to the AAP, it may lift the spirits of highly demoralized Congress cadres across India. Admitting that the AAP garnering all Congress votes is not good news for the party in Delhi, he said "perhaps, we may have to sacrifice Delhi to improve our party in rest of India".
Strangely, but not surprisingly, the BJP is also equally worried about the disappearance of the Congress from Delhi's poll scene. But, for a different reason.
It is a known fact that mobilization of all anti-BJP votes in favour of the AAP can cost the BJP, Delhi election. A strong Congress can prevent the AAP from getting more votes, indirectly helping the BJP to come to power in the absence of any wave in Delhi. The BJP is feeling the absence of a triangular fight.
For the first time in Delhi election since Independence, the Congress is playing the role of a minor party. Even in 2013 election, in which it lost as the ruling party, the Congress was able to get 24.55 per cent votes and 8 seats. The AAP which won 28 seats was polled 29.49 per cent votes. The BJP in alliance with the SAD had secured 33.07 per cent votes and 32 seats. The AAP and the Congress together got 55 per cent votes in the 2013 election.
This time, the Congress is contesting in all 70 Assembly seats. But, it is in a strong position in only 8-10 Assembly seats. In almost 60 assembly seats, which it earlier won or came second, the Congress is not even in the race.
It has disappeared from its once strongholds like East Delhi, New Delhi, Rural Delhi and West Delhi. It has fielded all but one sitting MLAs in this election. The Delhi State Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely is not contesting from his stronghold Gandhi Nagar in East Delhi. Former Union minister Ajay Maken is contesting from Sadar Bazar in the current election.
According to reports, the all four Muslim MLAs of the Congress and the new entrant Shoib Iqbal are likely to retain their respective seats. Three other sitting MLAs are also likely to retain their seats if the AAP does not eat into their votes. Beyond these seats, the Congress is visible only in New Delhi, Sadar Bazar and Greater Kailash. In all other seats, the party is fighting for a distant third place.
Former chief minister Sheila Dixit, who ruled Delhi for 15 years, is also not campaigning in this election. She made one or two brief appearances at some places during the campaign. Other leaders like Kapil Sibal, J P Agarwal, Jagadish Tytler, Sajjan Kumar, Ramesh Kumar and Sandeep Dixit are not even seen during the campaign. Party's hoardings, banners and posters are also very few in this election.
A Congress worker from East Delhi said "since our party is very weak. Many of our workers are backing the AAP to defeat the BJP. We have never seen such depressing moments in the past".
The Congress also had the complete sway over the Muslim votes across Delhi. Of the total 70 seats, Muslims have more than 10 per cent votes in 31 assembly seats. Since most of them vote as a block, Congress fears that these votes may go to the AAP, this time. If it happens, the Congress vote share can come down drastically.
The BJP alleges that the Congress is actively helping the AAP by transferring its votes to their candidates. A senior BJP leader said "Congress is ready to die. It wants the BJP to lose. Because of that, it is helping the AAP to keep the BJP out of power in Delhi".
The Congress' chief ministerial candidate in the election, Ajay Maken dismisses these charges as completely baseless and stupid. He said "we maintain eqvi-distance from both AAP and BJP. There is no question of supporting the AAP in case of a hung Assembly. Why should we support the AAP?"
The AAP also dismisses these charges and accuses both the BJP and the Congress of having a secrete pact to defeat the AAP.
CONGRESS PERFORMANCE IN PREVIOUS ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS
Delhi got its Assembly in 1993.
1993 Assembly Election
BJP got 47.82 per cent votes and won 49 seats.
Congress got 34.48 per cent votes and won14 seats.
1998 Assembly Election
Congress won 52 seats and got 47.76 per cent votes and BJP won 15 seats with 34.02 per cent votes.
2003 Assembly Election
Congress won 47 seats with 48.13 per cent votes and BJP won 20 seats with 35.22 per cent votes.
2008 Assembly Election
Congress won 43 seats with 40.31 per cent votes and BJP won 23 seats with 36 per cent votes.
2013 Assembly Election
Congress won just 8 seats with 24.55 per cent votes, BJP won 32 seats with 33.07 per cent votes and AAP won 28 seats with 29.49 per cent votes.
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