The Impressive TimesNew Delhi, Feb 10, 2025: The ongoing discord between INDIA bloc allies, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress, played a pivotal role in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s sweeping victory in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, according to Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT). In an editorial published in its mouthpiece ‘Saamana’, the party questioned the relevance of opposition alliances when their members continue to clash with each other rather than uniting against the ruling BJP.
In the high-stakes electoral battle for Delhi’s 70-member assembly, the BJP decisively ousted the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government, securing 48 seats, while AAP managed to win just 22 seats. The Congress, meanwhile, faced another humiliating defeat, failing to open its account for the third consecutive time.
The Saamana editorial stated, “In Delhi, AAP and Congress focused on pulling each other down instead of challenging the BJP, making things easier for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. If this trend continues, why bother forming alliances at all? Just fight each other to your heart’s content!” Throughout the election campaign, AAP and Congress leaders frequently took jabs at one another, further weakening the opposition’s chances.
The article highlighted that the opposition’s internal discord had also contributed to setbacks in Maharashtra and Haryana, where the BJP-led coalitions triumphed in recent assembly elections. It warned that if opposition parties failed to take lessons from the Delhi results, they would only strengthen what it described as the “autocratic rule” of Modi and Shah.
Adding to the criticism, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took a jibe at both AAP and Congress, posting on X, “Aur lado aapas mein!!! (Keep on fighting amongst yourselves!)”
The editorial also claimed that a similar scenario unfolded in Haryana’s assembly elections last year, where the BJP secured victory due to opposition infighting. It even questioned whether certain internal Congress factions were intentionally working against Rahul Gandhi’s leadership.
Taking a swipe at veteran social activist Anna Hazare, the editorial criticized his recent remarks against Arvind Kejriwal. It pointed out that Hazare’s own anti-corruption movement had played a crucial role in Kejriwal’s political rise, yet he remained silent on alleged corruption under the Modi government, including issues like the Rafale deal and the Adani Group’s Hindenburg controversy.
Mocking the ongoing opposition disunity, Saamana sarcastically concluded, “If this is how things will continue, there is no need for alliances at all—just keep fighting among yourselves! If no one learns from the Delhi elections, then they deserve credit for enabling autocracy to thrive. They wouldn’t even need to take a dip in the Ganga to cleanse themselves of this deed.”
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