On February 13, 2025, New Delhi: The outgoing Chief Minister Atishi raised concern over power blackouts in the capital ever since the ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), won the elections. She added that within just three days of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) relinquishing power, over 40 instances of power cuts across various neighborhoods were reported in the city.
Emergence of Power Outages
At a press conference in February 2025, Atishi stated, “I have received numerous complaints about power cuts in and around Delhi in these three days. Is this assignment of the power department falling apart within three days?”
She contended that the current powers were constantly monitored under the AAP regime and that residents had their power supply intact.
Residents of Mayur Vihar Phase-III, Sangam Vihar, Vikaspuri, Uttam Nagar, and elsewhere have begun buying inverters to help cope with the blackout. Atishi narrated how a parent was thrilled to buy an inverter for the first time since a power cut came at a time when her child was preparing for exams.
Comparisons to Uttar Pradesh
Drawing a parallel with Uttar Pradesh, Atishi mentioned, “Within three days of winning the election in Delhi, BJP has begun converting Delhi into Uttar Pradesh, where 3-4 hours of daily outages had become routine.”
Adding to that complaint about the governance capabilities of the BJP, Atishi suggested the party itself was inept in the management of the city’s infrastructure.
The Historic Win and Future Implication of BJP
After a gap of 27 years, the BJP returns to power in Delhi with a two-thirds majority, having secured a total of 48 seats in the 70-member Assembly. Within the 10 years of AAP government, its present strength has been brought down to 22 seats only.
With the BJP poised to form the new government, discussions are underway for the selection of the next Chief Minister. Parvesh Verma, a BJP candidate who defeated former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the New Delhi constituency, and Shikha Roy from Greater Kailash are some names put in the limelight.
Public Concerns and Expectations
The suddenness with which power outages began has raised public fears about the future of essential services in Delhi. Atishi’s comments underscore a larger concern about the possible decline in the quality of governance with the administrative handover.
The residents will be closely watching the BJP as it moves into the leadership to see how the party deals with these issues in the first few days.
The management of the energy sector will give an early indication of how committed, ready and able the new government promises about taking care of their quality of life in the city.
