Congress draws a blank yet again, series of reverses goes on in Delhi

Congress candidates in Delhi are trailing behind BJP opponents despite alliance with AAP. Party faces decline since 2015 in the Capital's elections.

There seems to be no end to the Congress decline in the national Capital. All three party candidates from North East Delhi, Chandni Chowk and North West Delhi — seats that party contested in alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) — were decisively trailing their BJP opponents till Tuesday evening.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi surrounded by workers in Delhi on Tuesday. (AP)

As of 11.30pm, the election commission’s data showed that BJP led with 54.35% vote share followed by AAP with 24.17% (four seats) and Congress with 18.91% votes (three seats) — bringing their joint vote share to 43.08%.

In 2019, Delhi saw a triangular contest with the BJP securing 56.86%, Congress 22.51% and AAP 18.11% vote shares. The losing margins in 2019 varied from 280,000 to 578,000 and an average margin above 390,000. The margins have gone down in 2024 due to bipolar contest.

In 2014 elections, BJP had secured 46.4% votes followed by AAP at 32.9% and Congress at 15.1.%.

Till 2013, the Congress has faced repeated electoral reverses when it was removed from power by the rising Aam Aadmi Party. Till 2013, the party ruled Delhi for three consecutive terms under the leadership of Sheila Dikshit. However, the party has failed to win a seat in the Delhi assembly since 2015, and had a dismal performance in the municipal elections. This time, the party contested in alliance with the Congress, hoping to break the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) juggernaut in the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi. The BJP has not lost a parliamentary seat in Delhi since 2014.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Devender Yadav said, “We accept the verdict, and promise that the Congress will strengthen its cadres at the grassroots level, and we will come back forcefully to regain the party’s glory in the Capital.”

Yadav said that the party respects the will of the people. He added that “amazing” response the Congress and Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc candidates got in several assembly segments was proof that it was just a matter of time that the party is back to winning. “Congress workers should continue to work hard and not get disheartened. It is a long fight,” the Delhi Congress chief said.

In 2014, parliamentary elections, Congress came third on all seven seats, securing a vote share of 15.1%. The party’s vote share rose to 22.5% in 2019 elections but failed to win any seats.

With assembly elections due in Delhi next year, and the defeat in the currently elections, questions are being raised on the future of the Congress-AAP alliance in Delhi. The BJP has repeated raised questions over the two parties coming together in Delhi, pointing out how the Arvind Kejriwal-led party was born out of an anti-corruption movement against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre.

A senior Congress leader, requesting anonymity, said the decision on the future of alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party will taken by the party high-command. “There are still 7-8 months before Delhi elections. The party leadership will sit down and take call on the alliance with AAP and an overhaul before the assembly polls,” he said.

In run up to polls, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, had said that AAP joined hands with Congress to save country from “dictatorship” and AAP was “not in a permanent marriage with Congress.” “Our aim is to defeat the BJP for now and end the dictatorship and goondagardi of the present regime,” Kejriwal had said.

Tanvir Aeijaz, political scientist and professor at Ramjas College, said the Congress needs to sort out its internal differences and cut factionalism. “The party needs to sort out the internal differences first,” he said.

On alliance with AAP, Aeijaz said that with senior AAP leaders in jail, it is imperative that the Congress and the AAP should join forces. “Nationally, the Congress is witnessing a resurgence. It is still early to say if they will fight alone in the assembly elections next year. However, only the BJP stands to gain in a triangular fight.”