On February 5, Delhi will vote to decide its next chief minister and on February 8 it will be known whether Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will return to power.
While some voters credit AAP for improving public services like education and health care, others believe the government has focused too much on freebies while neglecting infrastructure, pollution, and economic growth.
And in the areas scarred by the 2020 riots, trust has not been rehabilitated.
Krishan Kumar Mishra, 28, from Hauz Khas, believes that Delhi’s next chief minister must prioritise health care infrastructure, pollution control and public transport.
“We need stronger policies that curb congestion, enhance last-mile connectivity, and ensure professional healthcare services” Mishra, a sales employee, told The Telegraph Online.
“We need to remove the mindset of relying on freebies, as it is hindering development. The poor remain poor, while free electricity up to 200 units doesn’t matter to the rich,” he added
Shrishti Sharma, 26, an advertising professional from Maujpur, does not want AAP back. While she acknowledges their work in education, she feels that pollution, overcrowded infrastructure, and inefficient governance have not been adequately addressed.
“I believe Delhi needs a fresh approach, with leadership capable of tackling complex urban challenges and offering more sustainable solutions for its growing population. The upcoming government should immediately focus on improving healthcare facilities, ensuring hospitals are well-equipped and accessible to all residents. Roads need urgent attention — repairing potholes, reducing traffic congestion, and enhancing public transport to ease daily commutes." she said.
Vihaan Gulati, 34, an entrepreneur from Vasant Kunj, expressed his frustration over Delhi’s deteriorating infrastructure. “The city has regressed in terms of development and now resembles a neglected urban sprawl,” he said.
Harshita Negi, 24, a marketing professional from Rohini, pointed out: “Waterlogging, pollution, and unstructured colonies are worsening every day.”
Gaurav Jain, 30, a corporate employee from East Delhi, felt Kejriwal understands what Delhiites want.
“AAP has mastered the game of freebies, but that is not sustainable,” he said. “Even if people don’t need something, if it’s free, they will want two. Kejriwal has won over their support by giving free electricity and water.”
AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal addresses a public meeting in support of AAP candidate Jai Bhagwan Upkar at Bawana Assembly Constituency, in Delhi (PTI)
Shashwat Malik, 25, another corporate employee from Shakurbasti, strongly supported AAP.
“Their governance model has made a remarkable difference,” he said, pointing to welfare schemes like free bus rides for women and accessible health care. “If given another term, AAP will refine its implementation strategies to overcome previous setbacks.”
Zeeshan Ali from Okhla, who works with an MNC, also believes AAP should continue governing Delhi.
“I absolutely want AAP to be in power as they have shown that there simply can be a political party that believes in giving and empowering the people ultimately solving the daily hustle of the common man,” he said.
Shubham Tripathi, 24, an entrepreneur from Dwarka, accepted AAP’s contributions to education and health care. “Government schools have improved, and Mohalla Clinics have made healthcare more accessible” he said.
“My personal view favours AAP for another chance and people should give a chance to Kejriwal for proving him. As a resident of Delhi, I believe our expectations from the CM should go beyond just freebies. Over the years we have witnessed significant transformation and development in the city's progress that was driven by governance reforms rather than just freebies,” he said.
Jeevesh Kumar Maurya, 24, an LLB student from Karol Bagh, said he has witnessed the transformation under AAP.
“Being born and brought up in Delhi, I have seen the era of development and change that AAP has brought with its incumbency. From never entering government hospitals, government schools or DTC buses, I have felt a positive change with constant vigil upon teachers, schools having the best in class infrastructure, hospitals being improved day by day,” he said.
In Shiv Vihar, one of the areas most impacted by the communal violence following clashes between supporters and opponents of the Citizenship Amendment Act that killed more than 50 people in February 2020. the memories linger – somewhat like the ever-present stench from a large drain that seems never to have been cleaned.
The trust is gone. Five years after riots in northeast Delhi, that is the oft-heard refrain as locals adapt to their changed, polarised neighbourhoods. Shops and houses that were engulfed in flames have been rebuilt but reconstructing lives is quite another thing.
"The area is calm now, people live in their own spaces without disputes, but they no longer trust each other," Harpal Singh, a 68-year-old shop owner who moved to the locality 30 years ago, told PTI.
"When I moved here, this place was predominantly Hindu. Gradually, Muslim families also started settling here. Now, about 90 per cent of the Hindus have left after selling their property," he said.
People are still selling their property and moving away because they are scared there will be a repeat of the violence, Singh added. Some Muslim families have also left the area.
Mohammad Javed Ali echoes his sentiment, and also his words.
“Before the riots, people lived together in harmony. Now, they talk to each other, but the trust is gone. People live side by side, but no one trusts anyone anymore,” said the 36-year-old who works in an automobile repair shop in the area.
With its narrow lanes, broken roads and piles of garbage everywhere, Shiv Vihar is a world removed from the affluent colonies of the national capital.
The residents are in despair, acknowledging the grim everyday reality of their lives, the lack of basic amenities, the constant stress - and hoping that change is somewhere on the horizon, maybe with the elections on February 5.
Many voters in Shiv Vihar see the elections as an opportunity for change.
"We can't live in the past forever. Our children deserve a better future. I hope whoever wins this time will focus on development and peace," homemaker Sunita Sharma, 29, told PTI.