BJP’s Resilient Rise: From Setbacks In 1998 To Historic Comeback In Delhi Politics

From setbacks in 1998 due to the onion price hike to a historic 2025 comeback with a majority, BJP made history after 27 years.

Image: ANI

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made history after securing a majority after 27 years, following a crisis triggered by an onion price hike and inflation, which led to the party's exit from the Union territories in 1998. The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the results of the 2025 assembly elections on Saturday, in which the BJP regained the majority after securing 48 seats in the capital and defeated the Aam Admi Party (AAP). This comeback, after more than a decade, was the result of a strong campaign focused on honest governance, civic issues and promises of freebies.

The saffron party had lost six consecutive assembly elections between 1998 and 2020. However, it outsmarted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on the issue of electoral freebies and welfare schemes. The BJP achieved victory in the capital after consolidating the urban middle-class voter base with tax benefits and aspirations for world-class infrastructure.

BJP's Political History In Delhi

The saffron party formed its first government in the national capital during 1993 to 1998, in which three popular Chief Ministers named Madan Lal Khurana, Sahib Singh Verma, and Sushma Swaraj ruled the capital. Madan Lal Khurana became the BJP's first Delhi Chief Minister in 1993 but resigned in 1995 due to a corruption case. He was succeeded by Sahib Singh Verma, a Jat leader with strong support in outer Delhi.

Barely two months before the 1998 assembly elections, the BJP appointed Sushma Swaraj as Delhi's Chief Minister, making her the first woman to hold the Delhi Chief Minister position. However, this change failed to make an impact amid the crisis caused by spiralling onion prices and the BJP was defeated in the elections, with the Sheila Dikshit-led Congress, who won the 52 out of 70 seats.

The 2025 elections marked the ninth assembly polls in Delhi, as the legislative assembly had been abolished in 1956 and was only restored in 1993. After the restoration, the BJP made a strong comeback in 1993, sweeping the elections with 49 out of 70 seats, and Khurana, a prominent Punjabi face, was elected as the Chief Minister.