So, despite early opinion polls showing that the BJP, who rule at national level, were going to win, the Aam Aadmi Party's focus on the issues that mattered to ordinary voters in Delhi seems to have been overwhelmingly effective. For the first time in the history of the State, a political party gained more than 50% of the vote and with that 67 out of the 70 seats in the Delhi legislature.
There are about twenty million voters in Delhi, and 67% of them took part, so this is no mere protest vote borne on a low turnout but a real shock to the Indian body politic.
The big question is, can a political party which has existed for only two years, led by a former tax inspector, with little experience of actually governing, really reform in the way it claims is necessary. Can they change the way an entire state government, and its bureaucracy function and, if they can, what message does that send out to the rest of India?
There are also some other victims. The Congress Party, still led by Gandhis, was wiped out across the capital, and shows signs of redundancy, whilst the fragmented opposition across the country, much of it regional in its strength, will sense weakness in the Modi administration that will need to be countered. Hopefully, the response that comes will give a nod to the anti-corruption campaign whilst continuing the work of opening up India as a place to do business.
There is a message for political parties elsewhere too. Campaign for real change as though you mean it, and address the issues that really matter to people, and you might bring them with you. Spend your time attacking the insurgent, as the BJP did in Delhi, and as is so often the case here, and you risk losing the enthusiastic support of your core vote. After all, what are you for?
It will be interesting to see how they get on, for heaven knows India has real potential as an economic powerhouse and a political partner for the western democracies if we only work with them and develop a sense of their sensitivities.
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