The latest figures from the Election Commission highlight that out of the total 1.47 crore voters in Delhi, women constitute 67 lakhs, and men comprise 79 lakhs, with women representing 46% of the voting demographic. This significant presence of women voters is a cornerstone behind the AAP government's schemes for women.
Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, recently from his incarceration, announced his intention to implement a monthly stipend scheme for women. Sunita Kejriwal's name has also been strategically included in the election campaign to strengthen AAP's connection with women voters.
The sympathy garnered for Arvind Kejriwal following his jail sentence is a key strategy in AAP's efforts to consolidate votes. A 'vote in response to jail time' campaign is already underway, and the party is now deploying women activists to convey that the governance tasks are being effectively handled by Sunita Kejriwal in his absence.
To prevent the public from forgetting Kejriwal's imprisonment, efforts are being made to keep this issue at the forefront. A petition was filed in the Delhi High Court asking permission for Kejriwal to conduct video conferences with his ministers from jail.
A public lawsuit has requested the court to ensure that Kejriwal is given adequate amenities in jail to continue his duties as Chief Minister. The argument presented is that the Kejriwal government has initiated various schemes that have benefited the people of Delhi, and legal representatives have argued that neither the Indian Constitution nor any law prohibits a minister, including the Chief Minister or Prime Minister, from running the government from jail.
Kejriwal has also requested permission to consult his doctor via video conference due to irregular blood sugar levels, prompting the court to issue a notice to the Enforcement Directorate for a response.
While Kejriwal had requested to meet his attorneys five times a week, the court permitted only twice-weekly meetings.
AAP's outreach to female voters
Just before Kejriwal's incarceration, the Delhi government announced the 'Chief Minister's Women's Honour Scheme.' Kejriwal clarified queries from women about how they could benefit from the scheme, how to apply, and how to take advantage of it following this announcement.
The AAP government previously implemented free bus travel for women. Now, it aims to combine comprehensive schemes for women to appeal for their votes in the upcoming elections.
Teams of women at the booth, ward, and district levels are visiting homes to educate female voters about AAP's women-centric policies.
These campaigns also emphasize that despite Kejriwal's jail time, 'Bhabhi Ji' — Sunita Kejriwal — is vigilantly supervising all governance aspects to ensure smooth operations.
The president of AAP's women's wing, Sarika Chaudhary, has mentioned a goal of 45,000 meetings with women voters by the end of April 2024. AAP has already accomplished 20,000 of these meetings.
AAP is continuously reminding people that Kejriwal is incarcerated due to ED's actions — a fact highlighted by every AAP leader visiting him in jail and widely publicized through various channels.
The campaign 'vote in response to jail' is being executed in constituencies where AAP candidates are contesting, with public resolution meetings planned to raise awareness of the injustice faced by Kejriwal and to remind voters that after winning the elections, BJP representatives like Mahesh Giri or Gautam Gambhir never returned to their electorate.
