BJP to blame, not politics of terror

The third consecutive victory of Congress in Delhi under Shiela Aunty's leadership has prompted many to say BJP lost the battle for trying too much to politicise terror? L K Advani and Rajnath Singh, champions of BJP's campaign against UPA government for going soft on terrorists, had chosen not to attack the government during the Mumbai mayhem. Rather, they had stood beside the government on the poll eve.

Is the poll verdict a mandate in favour of Sheila's good governance?

Many will agree there were severe discontentment against the government for many reasons. Be it for the fast reading electricity meters, failure in tackling price rise of essential commodity, poor law and order, or BRT corridor. The popular poll planks of bijli, sadak, paani have become no better in the gullies of Delhi. People are still disgruntled for the lack of basic amenities in most parts of the National Capital except Central Delhi and a handful of posh colonies. Each and every year of last decade has witnessed water riots in forget the rural areas, even modern colonies like Vasant Kunj and others. Power crisis is yet to recover except the region that houses the babus. Every other day you come across with news of fatal accidents due to pot holes or bad patches on roads. Was the traffic smooth on Delhi roads in last couple of years? Was the media not crying all out against the mess caused by the BRT corridor?

The civic life has definitely improved in last decade. But resident welfare bodies, social activists and the change in economy have a lot to do with this regard. The poll verdict was rather, more because of the failure of the BJP top brass in getting the faction ridden party united in once used to be its citadel. Post Madan Lal Khurana, the party affairs were stage managed by late Sahib Singh Verma. Despite troubles in initial years, Sahib Singh could successfully take control of the party affairs slowly, but steadily. When he was fast emerging as the unchallenged leader of the Delhi unit after Vajpayee's reluctance to back Khurana any more, the former chief minister passed away. And that was the time when the BJP top brass should have thought of Who next?

Throughout her career as chief minister, Shiela Dikshit faced more opposition from her own party members than the BJP. Delhi voters were never convinced of BJP as the Opposition in the state assembly except on very few occasions. The lack of decision making of the BJP top leadership, absence of projecting anybody as the leader much before the elections helped in stoking indiscipline in the state unit. Leaders of same rung were not willing to accept each other. And poor Vijay Malhotra became one more victim of political intolerance.

-- Soumitra Mishra