From ‘Gundagardi’ To Dirty Yamuna: Issues That Dominated 2025 Delhi Polls Discourse

Last Updated:February 03, 2025, 17:11 IST

Delhi is seeing a fight of prestige between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), opposition BJP and the Congress

The high-powered campaigning for the Delhi assembly elections saw parties fighting over several issues, but Sheesh Mahal, Yamuna, corruption, ‘Gundagardi’ [hooliganism] and Gaali-Galoj [abusive language] were some of the most used words in the discussion. The campaign concluded on Monday evening with the start of the silence period at 5pm.

Delhi is seeing a fight of prestige between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), opposition BJP and the Congress. While winning the election is important for AAP to validate its narrative of a government that changed politics in India, BJP is trying hard to win the city where it last won in 1993. The Congress, which had consecutive three governments between 1998 and 2008, has been scoring zero seats since the last two elections and is aiming for better results this time.

In the course of the election campaign, one of the most discussed topics was ‘Sheesh Mahal’ — the tag given by the BJP to the official residence of the Delhi chief minister. While post-2020, the term has surfaced multiple times, it became the favourite topic of the BJP after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: “I could have also built a palace for myself, but I chose to build homes for the poor instead.”

Since then, the Delhi BJP has used the term in at least 75 social media posts on X. The Delhi Congress has also used the term extensively. The term surfaced in about 15 social media posts in the last 30 days.

It was alleged that former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal renovated the residence during the Covid-19-induced lockdown, giving the government accommodation a touch of luxury using public money.

Apart from Sheesh Mahal, corruption (Bhrashtachar) is yet another buzzword used against AAP by the BJP and Congress. While AAP used the term only a handful of times, BJP used the term in more than 50 posts in the last 20 days as it attacked the ruling party. Congress used the term in 15 posts for attacking the AAP on X.

Pollution in Yamuna

The BJP and Congress have been attacking the AAP for its inability to clean Yamuna — an issue that even Kejriwal accepted as the failure of his government.

Last Monday, Kejriwal and outgoing CM Atishi claimed that the BJP in Haryana is adding “poison” in Yamuna as revenge because people are not voting for them in Delhi. The terms used by Kejriwal against BJP and Haryana resulted in him being served a notice from the Election Commission of India. The BJP demanded his arrest and ban from campaigning.

The AAP has used the word Yamuna in 18 posts on X, while BJP used the term in around 40 posts since last Monday. The Congress, with 20 posts, was not far behind.

Almost all the top leaders from the three parties have challenged one another to drink raw or tap water from Yamuna — a dare that none of them accepted.

Gundagardi & Gaali-Galoj

While Sheesh Mahal and ‘Bhrashtachar’ were the two terms that were used against the AAP, ‘Gundagardi’ and ‘Gaali-Galoj’ were most used for the BJP.

The AAP has accused the BJP of indulging in unruly behaviour, filthy language, and verbal and physical abuse.

The term ‘Gaali-Galoj’ was used by the AAP in about 60 posts on X since January 9. Delhi BJP has used the term against AAP only a couple of times. The term ‘Gundagardi’ was used by AAP in around 55 posts since January 17.

The two dates are selected as the AAP has used the terms almost daily after these dates.

In between these discussions, the parties did discuss some welfare of women in the city. All three parties have promised monthly financial assistance to women voters in Delhi too.

The city will go for polls on February 5, and counting of votes will be held on February 8.