The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the Delhi Assembly polls in a landslide victory, bringing an end to a 27-year wait to come back to power in the national capital. The victory brought down Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which had been in power for a decade, and brought an end to the long-reigning Congress under Sheila Dikshit.
With a commanding 48-seat victory in the 70-member assembly, the BJP was assured of its strategy. As an aside, BJP Delhi in-charge Baijayant 'Jay' Panda had forecasted this result back in January when he said the party would easily win, perhaps with a two-thirds majority.
Jay Panda: The BJP's behind-the-scenes architect
At the forefront of this victory was Jay Panda, Odisha's five-time MP, who had been given the onerous task of reversing BJP's fortunes in Delhi with only three months to go for the elections. The party, which had secured just three seats in 2015 and eight seats in 2020, required a strategic reboot, and Panda worked behind the scenes to turn things around in quiet anticipation.
While the election on February 8 indicated a decisive BJP victory, Panda announced the coming of a "double-engine government" to Delhi.
Why did Delhi vote for BJP?
Panda attributed the record victory to the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the assurances in the BJP manifesto.
“The biggest reason for this history being made is the guarantee of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. People have unwavering faith in his leadership. They saw through the corruption and false promises of AAP and voted for change,” Panda stated.
He further emphasised that Delhiites had grown tired of political conflicts, governance paralysis, and corruption under AAP. “Now, with the double-engine government in place, Delhi will witness conflict-free governance and real development,” he asserted.
One man, many roles: Who is Jay Panda?
Beyond his role in Delhi's election, Baijayant Panda holds several key positions within the BJP:
- National Vice-President of BJP
- BJP’s Delhi Unit In-Charge
- Head of BJP’s Assam Unit
- Party Spokesperson
- Delhi Election In-Charge for the 2020 Assembly Elections
Panda was once a member of Naveen Patnaik's Biju Janata Dal (BJD) but switched to the BJP in 2019 when the BJD accused him of anti-party activities. He rose to prominence in the BJP very quickly after joining, becoming a key person in Uttar Pradesh's Lok Sabha campaign before he was made the head of a 31-member parliamentary committee on tax reforms.
BJP masterstroke: Getting Panda to Delhi
In October 2024, the BJP leadership tasked Jay Panda with the daunting responsibility of spearheading the party's Delhi election campaign. As the BJP had been unable to make a breakthrough in Delhi for decades, his job was crucial.
Odisha BJP President Manmohan Samal appreciated Panda's work, stating, "Jay Panda has been a dedicated leader for years. His ability to foster unity within the party ranks ensured this grand success in Delhi."
Using his political experience and organizational abilities, Panda developed a campaign strategy that appealed to the diverse electorate of Delhi, changing the narrative in BJP's support.
Suspense over BJP's CM candidate
During the election campaign, AAP consistently taunted BJP for not declaring a Chief Ministerial candidate. Still, Panda held on to the party's stance on contesting under a collective leadership model.
This approach defused AAP's personal attacks and maintained the spotlight on BJP's overall governance agenda and not on individual personalities.
Panda's track record: A tested election manager
Jay Panda's Delhi success was not a one-off. In 2021, he was made in-charge of BJP's Assam unit a mere 143 days ahead of the state assembly elections. BJP:
- Maintained power with 75 seats
- Won 60 out of 126 assembly seats
- Became the first non-Congress party to win two successive terms in Assam
That experience well-prepared him to be the best person to lead BJP's revival in Delhi.
Mastermind behind BJP's 'silent strategy'
Panda took a low-profile approach, unlike BJP strategists such as Sunil Bansal and Dharmendra Pradhan, concentrating on mobilisation at the grassroots level, booth-level management, and specific outreach.
His door-to-door campaigns and direct engagement with voters helped BJP cut through AAP's narrative. The results were clear: AAP, which once dominated Delhi's political landscape, was left stunned.
Despite playing a pivotal role, Panda remained humble about the victory, attributing it to PM Modi's leadership and BJP's disciplined workers.
"The people of Delhi have immense faith in Modi’s guarantee. This victory belongs to them," he said.
What's next for BJP in Delhi?
With BJP now in power, the focus shifts to governance. The party has promised infrastructure development, better public services, and corruption-free administration—a direct contrast to AAP's decade-long rule.
Meanwhile, political observers believe Jay Panda’s success in Delhi could pave the way for bigger responsibilities within BJP’s national framework. His track record as an election strategist may see him leading more crucial state battles in the future.
At least for the moment, the quiet strategist has delivered Delhi, ushering a new era in the capital's politics.
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