Following severe waterlogging in Delhi after overnight rains, a political blame game has erupted between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The heavy rainfall, which lashed the national capital on Saturday night, disrupted flight operations, uprooted trees and electric poles, and inundated several key roads, leading to accusations and counter-accusations between the two parties.
The AAP has launched a scathing attack on the BJP, questioning the whereabouts of the minister in charge and accusing the BJP-led administration of complete failure. AAP leaders have been sharing videos of waterlogged streets across the city on social media, highlighting the disruption caused by the heavy rainfall. They have criticized the BJP's "four-engine government" – referring to the BJP's control at the central, state, municipal, and Lieutenant Governor levels – for its alleged unpreparedness in handling the situation. AAP leaders pointed to waterlogging at locations like ITO, Minto Road, Dhaula Kuan, and Delhi Cantonment, questioning the effectiveness of the BJP's governance. AAP's Delhi unit chief, Saurabh Bharadwaj, questioned the absence of PWD Minister Parvesh Verma.
In response, the BJP has defended its administration, stating that the situation has significantly improved under its rule compared to previous years. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva acknowledged that sudden storms and monsoon-related waterlogging are not new to the capital but claimed that the current administration has addressed the issues more effectively. He stated that BJP MLAs, councilors, and officials from the Delhi Jal Board and Public Works Department were out on the streets early Sunday to clear fallen trees and address waterlogged areas. Sachdeva further claimed that by noon, the situation was largely under control, contrasting it with the previous AAP government's alleged negligence. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also hit back at the AAP, accusing the previous Arvind Kejriwal-led government of leaving behind a “broken system” and said that it would take sustained efforts and time to bring lasting improvements to Delhi's civic infrastructure.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a red alert for Delhi, forecasting thunderstorms, rain, and high-speed winds. The city recorded wind speeds of up to 82 km/h and 81.2 mm of rainfall in just six hours, according to the IMD. The heavy rainfall led to severe waterlogging in areas like Moti Bagh, Minto Road, ITO, Dhaula Kuan, and near the Delhi Airport Terminal 1. Flight operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport were disrupted, with at least 49 flights diverted. Commuters faced delays as standing water on key stretches disrupted traffic flow.
Both parties have accused each other of neglect and corruption in desilting drains, which is seen as a major factor contributing to the waterlogging problem. The AAP has alleged massive corruption in the desilting process, claiming that it exists only on paper. The BJP, on the other hand, has blamed the AAP government for not addressing the issue of waterlogging and for turning the entire city into a "slum cluster".
As the blame game continues, the residents of Delhi are left to grapple with the consequences of the heavy rainfall and the resulting waterlogging, raising questions about the preparedness of the city's infrastructure and the effectiveness of the measures taken by both the ruling and opposition parties.
