India’s Delhi votes as Modi’s party bids to dislodge rival

NEW DELHI, Feb 5, 2025 (AFP) -India’s capital province of Delhi began voting Wednesday in local elections with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) vying to dislodge one of his chief opponents.

Delhi, a sprawling megacity home to more than 30 million people, has been governed for most of the past decade by charismatic Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Kejriwal rode to power as an anti-corruption crusader a decade ago, and his profile has bestowed upon him the mantle of being one of the chief rivals to Modi.

His popularity has been burnished by extensive water and electricity subsidies for the capital’s millions of poorer residents.

But he spent several months behind bars last year on accusations his party took kickbacks in exchange for liquor licences, along with several fellow party leaders, before being granted bail by the Supreme Court.

The BJP routinely invoked the corruption charges as it mounted a spirited campaign in the weeks leading to Wednesday’s vote, with Modi himself headlining several rallies.

Kejriwal has denied wrongdoing and characterised the charges as a political witch hunt by Modi’s government. The AAP leader has also expressed confidence about winning a rare third term.

But even if the AAP emerges on top when results are declared on Saturday, Kejriwal may not be eligible for the top job of chief minister.

The Supreme Court in its bail order restrained him from signing official files or visiting his office, leading him to resign within days of being released.

Kejriwal at the time said he would be back as chief minister after winning re-election and obtaining a “certificate of honesty” from the people of Delhi.

His party colleague Atishi — to whom he handed over the mantle after resigning — has said there are no legal hurdles to Kejriwal becoming chief minister.

“Legally, it’s very clear that anyone who can contest elections is eligible to become the CM (chief minister),” Atishi, who uses only one name, told the Hindustan Times newspaper.