Why Is Congress Targeting AAP in Delhi Elections 2025? A Recap of Previous Polls

The 2025 Delhi Elections have sparked a fierce rivalry between Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), even though both parties are part of the INDIA alliance at the national level. While they have been allies in the past, both have decided to contest the Delhi polls separately this time.

The reason for this break in their alliance is rooted in history. Congress ruled Delhi for 15 years before the AAP made a breakthrough in 2013, defeating the Congress and taking control of the capital. Since then, Congress' political influence has declined, while AAP's popularity has risen.

The primary concern for Congress is the "transfer of votes" between them and AAP.

Political analysts believe that many Congress supporters tend to lean towards AAP due to their shared opposition to the BJP. In the 2020 Delhi Elections, Congress' vote share plummeted to 4%, while AAP's surged to 54%. This trend has led some experts to speculate that Congress may now focus its efforts on reclaiming votes from AAP, especially as they see potential gains in areas where AAP has traditionally been strong.

On the flip side, some experts predict that AAP could also benefit from the transfer of votes from Congress, particularly among women voters who supported AAP in the 2020 elections. Polling agency C-Voter suggests that many women who voted for Congress previously might swing towards AAP in 2025, potentially benefiting the party.

Adding fuel to the fire, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently compared AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of using similar propaganda tactics. Kejriwal quickly responded, stating that his fight was to save the country, not to comment on Rahul Gandhi's remarks. In response, Congress leaders, including Ajay Maken, denied that the attacks on Kejriwal were personal, citing a new CAG report as a key reason for their criticism.

Now the question remains whether Congress can reclaim some of AAP's lost ground or if AAP will retain its dominance. The results, to be announced on February 8, will redefine Delhi's political course for the coming years.