As counting for the Delhi Assembly election 2025 unfolded, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate made it clear that ensuring a victory for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was not her party’s responsibility.
The NDTV quoted her as saying, “The onus of making the AAP win is not on the Congress… we will look for fertile political bastions and try to win these over, and Delhi is a place where we have been in the government for 15 years.”
Her remarks came as the AAP struggled in its bid for a third consecutive term in Delhi, while the BJP surged ahead in the electoral race. With the INDIA bloc—formed to counter the BJP—failing to make a substantial impact in state elections since its inception in June 2023, tensions between the Congress and its allies, including the AAP, have come to the forefront.
Congress Unwavering in Its Strategy
Shrinate reiterated Congress’ stance, emphasizing that the party’s duty was to run a strong campaign rather than bolster AAP’s electoral prospects. “Our responsibility is not making the AAP win,” she asserted. “Our responsibility is mounting a spirited campaign and contesting this election (or any other) as strongly as we can.”
Highlighting AAP’s own electoral ambitions in states beyond Delhi, she pointed out how the party’s presence in Goa and Uttarakhand had affected vote shares.
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“By that logic… Arvind Kejriwal went to Goa, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttarakhand… (to contest elections)… and, in Goa and Uttarakhand, the vote-share difference between us and the BJP was exactly what the AAP got,” she said, hinting that the saffron party might have been defeated had AAP not fragmented the opposition vote.
INDIA Bloc’s Leadership in Question
Shrinate’s sharp comments come amid growing concerns over Congress’ leadership within the INDIA bloc. Despite its formation as a united opposition against the BJP, the alliance has struggled to achieve significant victories, with the BJP securing wins in a majority of the 13 state elections conducted since its establishment.
Major electoral setbacks in Haryana and Maharashtra in 2023 underscored the internal rifts within the alliance. Differences between Congress and key allies, including Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, Sharad Pawar’s NCP, and Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP, played a role in these defeats, raising doubts over Congress’ ability to hold the bloc together.
Rahul Gandhi vs. Arvind Kejriwal: A Divided Opposition
The Congress-AAP divide was evident in the lead-up to the Delhi elections, with senior leaders from both parties exchanging barbs. Rahul Gandhi criticized AAP over the alleged liquor policy scam and accused the Kejriwal-led government of mismanagement, particularly regarding Delhi’s water crisis. In return, AAP accused both the BJP and Congress of conspiring against what they termed as the ‘people’s government.’
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As BJP gained a commanding lead in the early vote count, the rift between the two opposition parties resurfaced. Shrinate, however, dismissed any notion that Congress was to blame for AAP’s struggles.
“When and where you need to be called out, you will. This attempt of the AAP and political analysts at large, or even by allies, to say ‘aapas aur lado’, or ‘don’t fight amongst yourselves’… all of us assess our political bastions and fight the battles we need to fight.”
Her reference to ‘aapas aur lado’ was in response to National Conference leader Omar Abdullah’s tweet, which took a dig at the ongoing discord within the INDIA bloc. The National Conference, which allied with Congress in last year’s Jammu and Kashmir elections, had managed a sweeping victory without needing the alliance’s support.
BJP’s Commanding Victory in Delhi
Exit polls had predicted a strong performance by the BJP, but AAP dismissed the projections, insisting they would secure a third term. However, as counting progressed, the BJP established a significant early lead, at one point ahead in over 50 of Delhi’s 70 seats. By 11 AM, the trends solidified into a decisive win for the BJP, leaving AAP struggling to retain its stronghold.
The election results not only highlight the BJP’s dominance but also expose the fragile nature of the INDIA bloc, particularly the ongoing discord between Congress and AAP. With Congress focusing on reclaiming its own political bastions rather than bolstering allies, the road ahead for opposition unity appears increasingly uncertain.
