Petty politics steals the show in poster war between rivals

A war of words, and pictures, is currently on between the Arvind-Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Capital. Instead of focusing on pertinent issues, however, the parties seem to be indulging in petty politics.  

On Tuesday, in retaliation to an AAP poster, the BJP members put up banners that promised to expose the party, along with the Congress. One of the BJP banners put up in Connaught Place stated: “Mai Dilli ka voter hu, ab mai bhi bolunga. Congress ke bhrashtachar, AAP ke jhoote waadon ki pol kholunga (I am a Delhi voter, now I’ll also speak. I’ll expose Congress’ corruption, AAP’s false promises).” The banner had pictures of a grumpy-looking Kejriwal and a worried former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

Another mocked Kejriwal with a danger sign, stating, “Delhi sawdhan, I’m back.” It had a picture of the CM holding a guitar, with a jingle based on a popular Bollywood song, which read: “Give me some chanda (donation), give me some fame, give me another chance, I wanna fool you once again.”

BJP responded with a billboard outside the Delhi BJP office at Pant Marg, asking voters, “MCD ki baagdor Inko?”, with pictures of six AAP MLAs accused in various criminal cases. 

“This is the first time that we have retaliated. AAP had used the same gimmick in the 2013 and 2015 and went on to win. We did not react then. But this time, we will expose them.,” a Delhi BJP spokesperson said. The municipal elections in the Capital are scheduled for April 23.