Delhi Assembly Elections - 2015

The new Chief Minister of Delhi takes oath on February 14th, 2015 after winning 67 out of 70 seats in the assembly elections.
The document gives a brief background, an analysis of the likely impacts of the elections as well as the profile of the party and its key leaders. The document also presents the impact of the new government on business and policy.
Please reach out to us should you wish to understand more about the new government and what it might mean for your business.

1. Delhi
Assembly Elections 2015
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2. Contents
•Delhi Elections: What happened? …………………………..Page 3
•What does it mean nationally?…………………………..Page 4
•What the AAP has promised Page 5
•What do the results mean for Business?…………………Page 6
•The AamAadmiParty Page 7
•ArvindKejriwal: The Chief Minister Page 8
•Other key leaders Page 9
•Contact -Edelman Public Affairs Page 10
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3. Election results
TheresultsoftheFebruary7th,2015electionsto
theDelhiAssemblywereannouncedonFebruary
10th.TheAamAadmiPartyrecordedanearclean
sweep,securing67ofthe70seats,spellingthe
firstmajorsetbackfortheBJPsincethenational
parliamentaryvoteinMay2014.
TheelectionsinthenationalcapitalofIndiawere
heldafterahiatusofoneyear,duringwhichit
hadbeenunderthePresident’srule(direct
controlofthecentralgovernment).The
President’srulewasimposedwhenArvind
Kejriwal,theleaderoftheAAPresignedin
February2014,after49daysastheChief
Minister.Thestateremainedinsuspended
animationasallpoliticalpartieswereunableto
formastablegovernment.Whilethedecisionfor
electionsremainedwiththeElectionCommission,
theAAPpetitionedtotheSupremeCourtforfresh
polls,whichwerefinallyannouncedinJanuary
2015.Itissuggestedthatthecentre’sstrategyof
delayingDelhielectionsuntilaftertheelectionsin
thestatesofMaharashtra,Haryana,Jharkhand,
JammuandKashmir,didnotworkintheirfavour.
WhiletheBJPformedgovernmentsinthose
statesandemergedthesecondlargestpartyin
JammuandKashmir,followingthevictoryin
GeneralElections,itwasnotabletomaintainthe
momentumofthesegainsinDelhi.
Duringthehiatus,theAAP,whoseimageof
rabble-rousinghadgainedprominence,reworked
itsstrategyandnarrative.Throughadoor-to-door
campaign,itmanagedtoprojectthattheparty
waswillingtorecalibrateitsmessagetoexpress
theaspirationsofthepeople.Theperceptions
communicatedtothemassesthroughthemedia
seemtohaveworkedinitsfavour.Kejriwalwas
alsoabletodilutethe'bhagoda‘(runaway)charge
throughhisgentlerandfocussedcampaign.The
AAPleaderapologisedtoDelhi’svoterforwhat
waswidelyperceivedasapoliticalblunder.And
refocussedonissuesofwater,electricity,price
riseandwomen'ssafety.Meanwhile,theBJP’s
campaignwasseenasnegativefocussedon
highlightingtheopponent’smistakes.FortheBJP,
theprojectionofKiranBediastheCMcandidate
wasalsoseenasavoteofno-confidenceinthe
BJP'sstateunit,whichseemstohavealienated
thepartyworkers.Thelandordinance,whose
implicationstheAAPquicklypickedupon,also
seemstohaveturnedruralvotesagainsttheBJP.
Oneoftheprimaryreasonsfortheresounding
victoryofAAPisthecleartwopartyracebetween
theBJPandtheAAP.WhiletheBJPlargely
maintainedthevoteshareithashadsince1998,a
significantnumberwhovotedforpartieslikethe
Congress,theBahujanSamajParty,the
SamajwadipartyandtheLeftshiftedtotheAAP.
TheCongressvote-whichamountedto24per
centinthe2013assemblyelectionsalsoswitched
heavilytotheAAP.TheBJPachievedavoteshare
of32.2percentonly3percentlessthan2013.
Theconsolidationoftheanti-BJPvoteisastrong
signaltotheBJPthattheyneedtodeliveron
expectationstoexpandtheirvoterbasefurther
reducetheimpactofoppositionmovements.
Delhi Elections: What happened?
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4. ImpactonPolitics
ThelossforBJPisbeingseenasamorale-boosterfor
regionalpartiesliketheTrinamoolCongress,theJanataDal
United,theShivSena,etc.andarelikelytobecomemore
vocalinoppositiontopreservetheirpositions.Giventhe
BJP’svoteshareinmoststates,winningabsolutemajority
dependsonsplittingtheoppositionvote.InDelhi,thevote
shareshowsthatthevotesoftheotherpartiesconsolidated
againsttheBJP.Similarly,inBihar,whichgoesforelection
laterthisyear,allthemajorpartieshavealignedagainstthe
BJP-ledNDA.Now,withsuchanoutcomeinDelhi,whichis
beingseenasadissipationoftheModi-wave,theBJP’s
prospectsinstateelectionslaterthisyearnowstandsless
surethanbefore.
TheAamAadmiParty’swinisalsobeingseenasaharbinger
ofanewopposition,whichmaybringtothepoliticalforea
freshagendaandanewwayofpoliticalbattling.Whilethe
anti-corruptionmovementwastheprecursortotheAAP,
andDelhiisseenasconducivetoAAP-likephenomena,itis
projectedthatthesescenariosmaybecomepossibleinother
statesaswell.Somestatesmayprovefertilegroundforthe
AAP,likePunjab,whereithaswonfourseatsintheLok
Sabha.Thepoliticsofidentity,casteandreligionhavetended
todominateelectionsinotherstatesandAAP’svictoryis
beingseenanalternativethatmayfindrelevancesooner
ratherthanlater.Thepartyandthestatewillbekeenly
watchedinthecomingmonthstoseewhethertherevivalof
AAPinDelhiwillleadtoitsriseasatrulyNationalParty.
What does it mean nationally?
2015
NDA
SP
JD(U)
TMC
BJD
TRS
AIADMK
NPF
SDF
CPM
Won 2012
Won 2013
Won 2013
Won 2014
Lost 2013Won 2014
UPA
UPA
UPA
Won 2014
Won 2014
Won 2014
AAP emerges as the
single largest party
ImpactonPolicy
FortheBJP,winningpowerinthestatesiscriticalto
strengthenitsRajyaSabhanumberswhereitonlyhas45
membersandhasbeenthwartedinitsefforttopass
reforms.
TheRajyaSabha,whose250membersareelectedbythe
stateandterritoriallegislatures,hasequalfootinginallareas
oflegislationwiththeLokSabha.Delhi’sresultslowsdown
theirprogresstowardsgreaterstrengthintheUpperHouse.
InsuchasituationtheBJPwillhavetofindwaystowork
acrossthepoliticaldivideandrefocusonthefundamental
issuesfacingIndianvoters,giventheirexpectationsand
promisesofMay2014.
ThelossinDelhimayalsoactasanimpetustotheBJP
governmenttospeedupreformtodelivergrowth.To
advancethisreformagenda,theBJPwillneedtoform
consensusbothintheRajyaSabhaandacrossstates.The
wintersessionoftheparliamentwasnotgoodforthe
governmentasitwasblockedbytheoppositioninthe
passageofBills.Thegovernmenthadtomoveordinances,
whichthePresidentcriticisedandsaidshouldonlybetaken
under“compellingcircumstances”.
OneofthecriticismsthattheAAPhasfacedisthatofits
populistpromises.Whileithasbeencriticised,itmayalso
havecontributedtoitslandslidevictory.Itisexpectedthat
thegovernmentatthecentremayrelookatsomeofits
policies,toaddsomepopulistmeasuresofitsown.The
Budgetmayprovidetheplatformfortheseannouncements
makingitanevenmorepoliticallysalientdocument.
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5. •Protecting the common man from
rising prices
•Friendly policies for small-
businesses and local tradesman
•Simplification of VAT and other
taxes
•Incentivisingentrepreneurship by
providing cheap capital and
startup incubators
•Opposition to FDI in retail
What the AAP has promised
Economic
Reforms
•Reduction in public transport cost
and making it more convenient
•500 new schools and 20 new
college
•900 new primary healthcare
centres
Infrastructure
•Trader friendly policies
•Fair and transparent pricing
policy
•Statehood for Delhi
•Budgetary allocation for
healthcare to be increased
•Stringent rules for crimes
against women
•Flexible and fair labourpolicy
Policy
•Better sewerage systems
•Community toilets to be built
•Improvement in roads for non
motorisedtransport
•Make Delhi a Wi-fiCity
•Improvement of services in
industrial areas
Urbanisation
•Delhi to be made a solar city
•Revival of the Yamuna by cutting sewage
deposit in the river
•The ridge area to be saved through
reduction in pollution
•Commitment to rain water harvesting
•Better waste management
Environment
•Better access to education
through loans and new
schools/colleges
•Clean water supply in every
home
•Better public healthcare
facilities
•Regularisationof unauthorised
colonies
Accessibility
•Water mafia to be dealt with
•Simplification of processes and
procedures in government
functioning
•Passage of the Jan LokpalBill
•Legislation of the SwarajBill Accountability
•Discomsto purchase power from economical
sources
•CAG audit of Delhi power distribution
companies
•Subsidies to be provided to Delhi Transco
•Introduction of competitive distribution
•Leveraging renewable ad alternate sources of
energy with incentives and subsidies to
promote solar energy
Power
•Technological incubators to be set up in
universities
•Relook at polices with a focus on job
generation
•Provide support to innovators and start
ups
•Promotion of skill development
•Provision for low interest loans for
entrepreneurs
Jobs
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6. Approachtocorporates
TheAamAdmiPartygenerallyadoptsacautiousapproachtowardindustryandbusinessandsays
that“cronycapitalism”isthemainreasonforhighcorruptioninIndia.Overtime,ithasbeen
criticisedforitsanti-industryoutlook.However,severalleadersoftheparty,refutethischarge
sayingthatthepartyisnotdoctrinaireaboutitseconomicpolicies,unliketheLeftparties.
ApproachtoPublicsectorenterprises
Thepartysupportspublicsectorreformstomakethemmoreefficientandtransparent.There
havebeenindicationsthatthepartywouldnotbeaversetosubsidisingcertainsectorsofthe
economysuchaseducation,healthandinfrastructure,therebyrunningthedangerofcrowding
outtheprivatesector.
ApproachtoSmallbusinessesandtraders
ThepartyhasindicatedawillingnesstolowerVATratesandsimplifypaymentandlicensing
procedures.However,expertshavecautionedthatdecreasingVATinordertoimprove
compliancewouldbealimitedexerciseandwillfurthertestDelhi’sfinances.
ForeignInvestments
Whilethepartyisyettoformabroad-basedstanceonopening-upvarioussectorstoforeign
investment,ithasindicatedthatitisagainstFDIinmulti-brandretail.
Agriculture
Delhibeinganon-agriculturalstate,AAPhasnotformeditsopiniononallaspects.However,itis
againstfieldtrialofGMcropsinIndia.
EnvironmentalSustainability
Akeypolicyistheparty’sfocusonenvironment.Itwantstheenvironmentalcostsof
developmenttobeaccountedforintheoverallgrowthestimates.
LabourReforms
Thepartyislikelytoinitiatestepstoimplementwelfareschemesforunorganisedsectorworkers
inthecity.Itislikelytoimplementminimumwageandbringinsocialsecurityfortheseworkers.
Thejobsforcontractuallabourersisalsolikelytoberegularised.
Powersector
TheAAPhaspromisedhalvingtheelectricitycostforconsumers.Thesesubsidies,itisbeingsaid,
willposeachallengetothepartygivenDelhi’sfiscalpressures.Thepartyhassaidthatitwould
providesubsidytoDelhiTransco,astateownedtransmissioncompany.This,ithopes,willhelp
DelhiTranscoupgradeitstransmissioncapacityandthereforeinreducingpoweroutagesinthe
city.TheAAPisalsolikelytopursueanauditofprivatediscomsbytheComptroller&Auditor
Generalinordertoascertainthefinancialstatusoftheseutilities.
Challengesgoingforward
ThebigchallengeforAAP,givenitsnationalambitions,islikelytobeitswayofworkingwithbig
business–powercorporations,retailchains,etc.TheAAPhasprojecteditsinterestinrebuilding
industrialclustersforsmallindustrywithinDelhi,butitisyettotalkaboutreformstoboost
largeinvestments.Asthepartytakeschargeinthecapital,thechallengeitislikelytofacewillbe
thatofbalancingitssocialobjectivesalongwiththeneedofboostinginvestmenttocreatelarge
scaleemployment.
Nationally,theeconomicpoliciesoftheBJPgovernmentmaybearamoresociallyconscious
outlook.Thecentralgovernmentislikelytoincludeinitsdecisionsgreatertaxbenefitsand
subsidiestotargetsegments,apartfromcreationofjobs.Whiletheresultsmayhaveshortterm
impact,thepro-economicagendaofthecentralgovernmentisunlikelytobeaffected.
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What do the results mean for Business?

7. TheAamAadmiPartywasformallylaunchedon26
th
November2012,ayearafter,thousandsofIndianstook
tothestreetsinsupportofananti-corruptioncampaign
ledbysocialactivistAnnaHazare.Oneoftheleadersof
thatmovementwasArvindKejriwal,aformertaxofficial
andacampaignerforrighttoinformation.Incourseof
theAnnaHazarecampaign,Kejriwalbrokeawayonthe
questionofwhetherthemovementshouldenteractive
politics.Kejriwalandhisassociatestookthelineof
joiningpoliticstocleanpoliticsandgovernance.
Afteraseriesofprotestsagainstmulti-billionrupee
governmentcorruptionscandals,whichattractedvast
mediaattentionin2011and2012,Kejriwal,launchedthe
pro-left,anti-graftAamAadmiParty.
TheAamAadmiPartyhasbuiltitsreputationaround
beinganti-establishmentandidealistic.Accordingtoits
topleaderYogendraYadav,thepartymaybe“socialist
butnotsilly”.Thepartyisinfavourofasolution-based,
commonsensicalapproachtoproblemsandseeksto
escapethetrappingsoftheLeftortheRight.Theparty’s
globaloutlookdrawsfromothercountries’experiences.
Forexample,someofitspoliciessuchasthefreewater
schemeforDelhiappeartohavebeeninspiredbya
similaroneframedbyformerSouthAfricanPresident
ThaboMbeki.Yadavsaysthepartyhasalsolearnedfrom
movementsinBrazilandtheMiddleEast.
The AamAadmiParty
7
TheAAP’sfirsttestcameintheDelhiassemblyelections
ofDecember2013.Itmadeastunningdebut,seizing28
ofDelhi's70assemblyseatsandlaterformeda
governmentwith"outsidesupport"fromtheCongress
party.Asignificantpartofitsagendawastointroduce
theJanLokpalbillinDelhi.Thebillwouldhavecreated
anindependentbodywiththepowertoinvestigate
politiciansandcivilservantssuspectedofcorruption.
Whenitbecameclearaftertheelectionthattheother
majorpartieswouldnotsupportthisbill,theAAP
governmentresigned.Ithadbeeninpowerfor49days.
Thepartyfielded434candidatesacrossIndiainthe2014
generalelection,butfailedtowinasingleseatfrom
Delhi.Thepartyobtained4seatsand2%ofallvotes
cast.

8. ArvindKejriwalisamechanicalengineeringgraduatefrom
theIndianInstituteofTechnologyKharagpur,afterwhichhe
workedforTataSteel.Heleftthatjobin1992,having
previouslytakenleaveofabsenceinordertostudyforthe
CivilServicesExamination,andspenttimeinKolkata,atthe
RamakrishnaMissioninNorth-EastIndiaandatNehruYuva
Kendra.KejriwaljoinedtheIndianRevenueServicein1995
afterqualifyingtheCivilServicesExamination.Heworkedas
aJointCommissionerintheIncomeTaxDepartment.
TheIRSofficerstartedParivartan-anNGOworkingagainst
bribeculture-alongwithManishSisodiain2000.Parivartan
hasworkedoverlast8years,usingRTI,totargetcorruption
indeliveryofpublicservices,suchaspublicdistribution
systemsandeducation.HewasawardedtheRoman
Magsaysayawardin2006forhiscontributiontothe
enactmentoftheRighttoInformation(RTI)Act,2005.He
workedwithPublicCauseResearchFoundation(PCRF)and
ParivartantostrengthenRTIandbringaboutgovernment
reforms.
HesetupagroupcalledIndiaagainstCorruptionin2011
aimedatbringingabouttoughanti-corruptionlaws.Hewas
thebackroomorganiseroftheanti-corruptioncampaignled
byAnnaHazare.
WhileHazarewasitsrecognisedpublicface,Kejriwalwasa
corememberof"TeamAnna",workingbehindthescenesto
organiseprotestsinDelhithatgarneredvastmedia
attention.KejriwalemergedasHazare’stopaide,rallying
hugecrowds,advisingtheveterancampaigner,recruiting
fellowprotestorsandparticipatinginnegotiationswiththe
government.Kejriwallaunchedhispoliticalpartyon2
nd
October2012.
ArvindKejriwal: The Chief Minister
8
Hecontestedtheelectioninthe2013DelhiLegislative
AssemblyandtookofficeastheChiefMinisterofDelhion
28December2013.Heresigned49dayslater,on14
February2014.KejriwalalsocontestedtheLokSabha
Electionsof2014,fightingagainstBJP’sprimeministerial
candidateNarendraModifromVaranasiconstituency.
KejriwalismarriedtoSunita,whoisalsoanIRSofficerand
hisbatchmatefromNationalAcademyofAdministrationin
MussoorieandtheNationalAcademyofDirectTaxesin
Nagpur.Thecouplehaveadaughterandason.

9. 9
YogendraYadav
YogendraYadavisamemberoftheNationalExecutiveoftheAamAadmiPartyandawell-knownsocialscientist,psephologistandpoliticalanalyst.In2011,hetookpartinthe
anti-corruptionprotestsandlaterjoinedtheAamAadmiParty.Heisanacademicianwithinterestindemocratictheory,electionstudies,surveyresearch,politicaltheory,
modernIndianpoliticalthoughtandIndiansocialism.HeisaSeniorFellowattheCentrefortheStudyofDevelopingSocieties(CSDS),Delhisince2004.Hewasalsoamember
ofSoniaGandhi’sNationalAdvisoryCouncilin2010.Yadavhasbeeninvolvedintherevivalofsurvey-basedstudiesofIndianelections,therenewaloftheNationalElection
Studyseries,andthecreationoftheLoknitinetworkofscholars.HewritesregularlyinHindiandEnglishfornewspapers,andisapoliticalcommentatorontelevision.Yadavhas
writtenschooltextbooksandhasservedonseveralpoliciesadvisorybodies.YadavisseenasakeypolicythinkerandstrategistforAAP.
Manish Sisodia
ManishSisodiawastheMinisterofEducation,Highereducation,PublicWorksDepartment,Urbandevelopment,Localbodies,Land&building,Revenueportfolios,inthe
GovernmentofDelhipriortotheparty’sresignationin2014.ManishSisodiawasasocialactivistandjournalist.LaterhebecameactivetogettheRTIactpassedandplayeda
keyroleintheJanLokpalmovement.HewasoftenseenasaclosecolleagueofKejriwalduringthemovement.Heisalsoknownforhisorganisationalskillsandcoordinated
manyRTIcampaignsinurbanandruralareasofthecountry.AsajournalistSisodiahasworkedinZeenewsandAllIndiaRadioforalongtime.AlongwithArvindKejriwalhe
foundedthePublicCauseResearchFoundationin2006thatworkedintheareaofgovernance.SisodiawasalsokeenlyinvolvedasavolunteerinParivartanthatsupportsthe
sustainablesocio-economicdevelopmentofdeprivedmasses.
Other key leaders
KumarVishwas
KumarVishwasisamemberofAAP’sNationalExecutive.AccordingtoKumarVishwas’swebsiteheisanewagepoetandmotivator.HelefthisEngineeringdegreeinbetween
topursue“whathisheartfelttobegoodat-'HindiPoetry'.”AsapoetheperformedinNetajiSubhashInstituteofTechnology,UniversityofDelhi,etc.thevideosofwhich
becamepopularcontributingtohisriseasaleader.HegotacquaintedwithArvindKejriwalin2006,andstartedparticipatinginhisprotests.Havingoncefanciedhimselfasa
writerforHindifilms,Vishwas'spoetryhasnowchangedfromromanticsubjectstopatrioticonesthataresettomusicandsungatAAPevents.Vishwashasalargesocial
mediafollowingwith1.6millionlikesonhisFacebookpageand1,38,000followersonTwitter.HealsoappearsasarepresentativeofAAPinTVdebatesandpress
conferences.

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