That the BJP continued with its electoral “roll” was a virtually foregone conclusion, the more significant point made by the voter in the polls to the three elected civic bodies in the Capital was the “royal” rout of the Congress party, and a firm pointer to Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party being little more than a one-election wonder. The Delhi voter has done a powerful demolition job. Obviously the legion of trumpet-blowers in the Modi-Shah camp will be sounding many a fanfare: their claim to fame being the BJP securing a third consecutive term in the municipalities despite having performed miserably in the previous two. To conclude that an entirely fresh team will rejuvenate the party’s functioning would be more in the realm of hope than expectation, and since the “charisma” of Mr Narendra Modi is being hailed as the determining factor, the Dilliwallah would not be unjustified in demanding that the Prime Minister take it upon himself to clear the city of the filth that has accumulated over recent years. That demand would assume relevance in the context of the collapse of civic services being attributed to the stand-off between the AAP-run Delhi government and the three BJP municipalities.

The apprehensions of further conflict between Kejriwal and the municipal bodies on the one hand, and his continuing spat with the Centre/Lieutenant-Governor on the other are fuelled by a premeditated attack on EVMs: the predictable alibi for a miserable showing that has its roots in the chief minister’s ambitions and arrogance. He neglected basic duties in Delhi when indulging in flights of fancy in Punjab and Goa. The tirade against EVMs is wearing thin, no doubt the chief minister and his mates will find other reasons to cry “foul”. Looking within is not an AAP quality, blaming/accusing others is part of its confrontationist-negative DNA. Sure it took second place in its first civic election, but only after claiming that it deserved a clean sweep.

Blown away even before the season of duststorms has commenced has been the Congress, reduced to a miserable third place with only half the wards it had won five years back. Its apologists are seeking a fig-leaf of respectability by claiming an increased vote-share ~ selectively deciding which previous poll would serve as the basis of comparison. Having failed to win a single seat in the last elections to the Lok Sabha and the Delhi Assembly it is apparent that the party is on the verge of self-destruction. As is customary the “local” leader takes responsibility and offers to quit (Ajay Maken emulating Sanjay Nirupam in Mumbai), but essentially it does so to deflect the flak away from the “blunt” spearhead. Was Barkha Shukla Singh being prophetic when she contended that Rahul Gandhi was “mentally unfit” to lead the party?