New Delhi: As he waits for his turn at a Delhi government-run mohalla clinic in Rohini Sector 16, electronics store worker Sanjay Sharma, 54, is all praise for the Aam Aadmi Party’s initiative to provide free primary healthcare facilities, including medical tests, to citizens.
This clinic, one of nearly 520 started by the AAP government since 2015, attracts not just people from nearby slum clusters but also from neighbouring middle-income group housing societies, according to Nancy Bhatnagar, a physiotherapist and Rohini Sector 16 resident, who had come for a consultation.
With Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in jail for nearly a month over his alleged involvement in an excise policy case, AAP leaders are rallying support for the party in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections by showcasing their welfare initiatives, from the Mohalla clinics to free bus rides for women.
However, for some citizens, doubts have crept in. They have started questioning why it’s taking so long for Kejriwal to get bail—a fact that the BJP has also been highlighting in its campaign.
“We don’t know the facts of the liquor policy matter. But if Kejriwal is innocent, then why have courts not given him bail or any relief? This question is on everyone’s mind,” said Sharma.
AAP is contesting four out of seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, with alliance partner Congress fighting the remaining three. Banking on their nine years of work, AAP launched its ‘Jail ka jawab vote se’ (reply to jail through votes) campaign on 8 April, accusing the BJP of a political conspiracy to prevent Kejriwal from campaigning.
Still, the damage may already be done. Kejriwal’s arrest ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and the delay in court relief could “adversely impact” AAP’s campaign, said Tanvir Aeijaz, associate professor in political science at Ramjas College.
“After Kejriwal’s arrest, AAP was banking on him getting bail immediately andpeople sympathising with him. And, once out, he would get into campaigning mode and the party would build their campaign around it,” said Aeijaz. “But it didn’t go per plan and the delay in getting relief from courts has raised doubts in the minds of people.”
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Jail and bail as Delhi poll issues
Since last year, three AAP leaders—Kejriwal, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia—have been arrested on corruption allegations related to the excise policy. In addition, former minister Satyendar Jain was arrested in a separate corruption case in May 2022, although he was also questioned regarding the excise policy matter by central agencies. Some residents view this as political vendetta, while others remain sceptical.
In Patparganj, Manish Sisodia’s constituency, many residents question the timing of Kejriwal’s arrest, which occurred just days after the imposition of the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha elections. They point to the ongoing nature of the matter, starting from Sisodia’s arrest in the same case last February.
“There is a blame game going on between the AAP and BJP. As the public, we don’t know what the truth is. But why was he arrested now? This matter has been going on for almost two years,” said Gurmeet Singh, a resident of Mandawali, a residential area in Sisodia’s constituency.
The AAP now seems to be counting on a sympathy wave. Through the ‘jail se jawab’ campaign and media interactions, they are accusing the BJP for unfairly targeting them for political reasons.
“People are angry with the BJP over Kejriwal’s arrest; they are questioning the timing of the arrest,” Somnath Bharti, AAP candidate from the New Delhi parliamentary constituency, told ThePrint. “People understand that this has been done just to stop him from campaigning in the elections and topple his government in Delhi.”
On the bail delay, Bharti said there is a process which has to be followed in the judicial system. He pointed to the release on bail of Sanjay Singh earlier this month—six months after his arrest in the excise case. “He was finally released on bail by the Supreme Court and the Enforcement Directorate didn’t even contest it. Kejriwal’s case is in the Supreme Court, which has asked the Enforcement Directorate to file its response,” Bharti said.
Meanwhile, other than promoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s achievements and ‘guarantees’, the BJP’s Delhi campaign centres on the courts’ refusal to grant bail to Kejriwal.
“Kejriwal is in jail on court orders and not because of BJP,” said OP Dhankar, BJP national secretary and its Lok Sabha in-charge for Delhi, speaking to ThePrint. “The Delhi high court and the Supreme Court have not given him any relief. People have faith in the judiciary and they understand that there has to be a reason why courts have not granted any relief to him.”
‘This election is for PM, not CM’
About 40 km from Rohini, the residents of Chilla village under the East Delhi parliamentary constituency are quick to list out the work done by the Kejriwal government, from constructing colony roads to improving schools and setting up mohalla clinics.
However, many also say that these achievements are not relevant at the moment.
“The Kejriwal government has done a lot of work in Delhi, but this election is about national issues and not local issues. This is to elect the PM, and not CM,” said Chilla resident Virender Singh, 70.
This tendency of people to adjust their voting preferences based on Lok Sabha and assembly elections, combined with Kejriwal’s arrest, could dent the AAP’s prospects significantly, according to Aeijaz.
He pointed out that AAP failed to win even one seat in Delhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, but just nine months later swept the assembly polls, emerging victorious in 62 out of 70 assembly seats. In 2019, AAP’s vote share in Delhi was around 18 per cent, but in the February 2020 assembly polls it surged to 53.5 percent.
“This clearly shows that people, including those living in slum clusters, vote based on the election and who the leader or the party’s face is,” Aeijaz said.
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Citizens caught AAP-Delhi LG crossfire
With Delhi’s centre-state tussle heating up as polls approach, citizens are caught in the middle. From shortage of medicines in government hospitals and mohalla clinics to the recent water crisis, Delhi government ministers have been blaming central officials.
Last week, AAP minister Atishi wrote to Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena, seeking the suspension of Delhi Jal Board chief executive officer following the death of a woman in Shahdara during a dispute over filling of water.
However, in an open letter to Kejriwal, dated 16 April, the Delhi LG slammed the government for the water scarcity problem, accusing Atishi of exploiting the woman’s death for “narrow political goals.” The L-G further alleged that the AAP government had created a “chimera of free water” instead of fixing the “iniquitous water supply”.
Then, on 8 April, Delhi health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj addressed the shortage of medicines in hospitals and mohalla clinics after complaints from AAP MLAs. Bharadwaj alleged that the Central Procurement Agency (CPA) tender to procure medicines for hospitals, mohalla clinics, and dispensaries was not finalised by government officials for a year due to a “premeditated conspiracy”.
AAP MLAs have also raised the issue of some mohalla clinics closing due to delays in appointing doctors. AAP MLA from Bawana, Jai Bhagwan, told ThePrint that three out of the 24 mohalla clinics in his constituency had shut down due to delays in the appointment of doctors.
In Timarpur, residents of Patrachar basti said that the mohalla clinic in the vicinity was reopened recently after a gap of six months. “In the past one year, the clinic has been operational for just a few days. We have been going to the mohalla clinic in the neighbouring area for the past one year,” said resident Sita Devi. “People here depend on the mohalla clinic. The government should ensure that it is operational throughout the year.”
Following complaints about a shortage of medicines in clinics, Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj instructed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to assess the situation daily. “The CS (chief secretary) has been directed to daily visit Delhi govt hospitals and mohalla clinics to verify the claims of availability of medicines; the CS has been directed to provide the roster of his visit and share the daily report,” Bhardwaj said in a press statement issued on 17 April.
(Edited by Asavari Singh)