Vijender Gupta, MLA from Rohini and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly has been in public life in a career spanning three decades. Gupta had also served as the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Legislative Assembly from 2015 to 2020. He has rich experience serving in leadership positions, from party president of the Delhi unit to leading the opposition charge in the Delhi Assembly.

He proved his mettle by being elected thrice as Councilor in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. As a loyal party worker, he had been associated with the party since his college days. He began his political career in 1984 when he was elected as Vice President of the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU). He was also the presidential candidate for ABVP in 1985.

In an exclusive interview with Nikhil Vyas of The Statesman, Gupta talks about Delhi Assembly polls which are due early next year, the present political situation in Delhi and other issues related to the national capital. Excerpts:

Q: What are the BJP’s prospects in the Delhi Assembly polls which are due early next year?

A: BJP is confident about its prospects in the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls. We have a clear vision for Delhi’s development, rooted in seva, good governance, and people’s welfare. In Delhi, even though Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections together, the BJP still received 54 per cent of the votes. The people of Delhi have proven that they stand with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development model. Even when the BJP was not in power in Delhi, the Modi government made sure that what is required for the development of the capital is delivered.

From massive projects such as RRTS to e-buses for enhanced urban mobility, from PM Awas homes to PM Ujjwala Yojana, the benefits of Central government schemes have positively impacted people’s lives in Delhi. On the other hand, we have an utterly incompetent AAP government that has completely resigned itself from working for the people and is focused on how to siphon off people’s money and cover up its abject failure at governing. People of Delhi have had enough and are seeing the BJP as the only credible alternative to end the era of anarchy and corruption.

Q: What is your opinion on the present political situation in Delhi?

A: As far as the current politics in Delhi is concerned, it is clear that the people of the country, especially those in Delhi, have understood the cunning tactics of the Aam Aadmi Party, particularly former chief minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal, very well. Atishi will function like a rubber-stamp Chief Minister, with the real control in Kejriwal’s hands. Atishi will do exactly as Kejriwal directs. Atishi will remain only a dummy Chief Minister of Delhi, which would be an injustice to the 2 crore people of the city. There are several reasons for the dissatisfaction of Delhi’s people with Kejriwal’s politics.

After failing to effectively address basic issues like water and electricity, AAP leaders have been embroiled in numerous corruption cases, which has increased public anger towards Kejriwal. The Swati Maliwal case has also had a direct impact on the image of both the Aam Aadmi Party and Kejriwal. The good thing is that the Delhi BJP has always stood with the people of Delhi on all these issues. In Delhi, Kejriwal even conducted roadshows for Congress candidates, and alongside his wife Sunita Kejriwal, he repeatedly claimed during election campaigns that he was being unjustly sent to jail. However, people did not care much about him. It has become clear to people that Kejriwal is corrupt. After leading a nationwide anti-corruption movement and entering politics, Kejriwal was in jail due to the Delhi liquor policy case.

You could say this is part of the system, and that it is doing its job. But it must also be acknowledged that this is a symbol of the changing politics in Delhi. As for the Congress, it doesn’t even have candidates for several seats. After ruling the capital for 15 consecutive years from 1998 to 2013, the Congress gradually moved to the margins. In the 2013 elections, the Congress still managed to win eight seats, but in the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections, the party did not win a single seat. Similarly, the Congress remained empty-handed in the 2014, 2019, and 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Although the Congress fielded candidates in alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, they still did not succeed. In the next assembly elections, the people must decide what kind of government they want in Delhi – one aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a ‘Developed India,’ or the Aam Aadmi Party government, which is deeply entrenched in corruption.

Q: How do you look at the Aam Aadmi Party government’s education and health model in Delhi?

A: The Delhi government’s education and health models are limited only to paper. In reality, there is nothing. This time, a record number of 10th and 12th grade students have failed. Is this what happens in a world-class education system, where students fail at record levels? The corruption of crores of rupees in the construction of school rooms by them is not hidden from anyone. As far as the health department is concerned, tell me how many mohalla clinics that were being drummed up are running today? We need comprehensive and sustainable solutions to these issues.

Q: What are the key issues of BJP in the Delhi Assembly polls, and what would be the party’s strategy for the elections?

A: The key issues for BJP in the Delhi Assembly polls will focus on addressing the failures of the AAP government, particularly in areas like public safety, infrastructure, and environmental management. Our strategy will involve engaging directly with voters, presenting a detailed plan to fix these critical issues, and ensuring that such tragedies never occur again. We aim to restore faith in governance by tackling these problems head-on. Q: What is your say on the Assembly sessions called by the AAP government? A: Despite the Opposition’s continuous demand, the AAP government has not convened a session of the Assembly in the last five months.

The previous session that was called did not discuss a single public interest issue. Whenever we tried to raise the voice of the people, the opposition was repeatedly thrown out by the marshals. I have always supported the smooth functioning of the Assembly, and I will continue to do so. The job of the opposition is to draw the government’s attention to its shortcomings, and I do that. I raise factual questions in the Assembly, which shouldn’t offend anyone.

Q: As the Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Legislative Assembly, which issues will you be raising in the House in view of the Assembly polls?

A: I will focus on the issues that directly impact the safety and wellbeing of Delhi’s residents. The recent deaths due to waterlogging highlights the failure of the AAP government to maintain even basic infrastructure. We will also address broader issues such as drinking water crises, poor public transport system, public safety, and the crumbling infrastructure across the city. What’s even more alarming is the AAP government’s blatant disregard for transparency and accountability. Since 2017, they have not tabled any CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General) reports in the Delhi Assembly. This is a serious violation of constitutional norms. Moreover, in the past 10 years, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has not discussed or recommended any CAG report to the House. This shows how the AAP government is blatantly encouraging corruption. We will demand immediate tabling of all pending CAG reports and a thorough discussion of these reports in the Assembly.

Q: Which are the civic issues and other issues in Delhi that need to be addressed immediately?

A: I will say again that Delhi has been grappling with numerous longstanding issues under the AAP government’s misrule. These problems span a wide range, from the persistent drinking water crisis to the annual monsoon flooding that paralyzes our city. We’ve witnessed electricity rates soaring, pollution levels reaching alarming heights, and traffic congestion worsening day by day. The BJP is committed to addressing these critical issues on a priority basis. We have a comprehensive plan to tackle each of these problems head-on. Our goal is to overcome the governance deadlock that AAP has created and accelerate Delhi’s progress.