The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has suggested that the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, may declare himself king of the country if he is re-elected in 2024. Speaking to the media, AAP National Spokesperson and Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed that Modi could amend the Constitution to cement his position. Bharadwaj also warned that if opposition parties did not unite for the 2024 elections, there may not be any elections in the country at all. He argued that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was using its power to suppress opposition voices and abolish democracy.
Meanwhile, the BJP has dismissed Bharadwaj’s claims as a dumb accusation. Virendra Sachdeva, the Delhi BJP Chairman, criticised the AAP for resorting to childish claims, and called on the party to explain why it was aligning itself with past adversaries. He also targeted the Congress party, accusing it of plagiarising AAP manifesto ideas.
The opposition parties are set to meet on 23 June in Patna, and many commentators suggest that they are likely to use the gathering to discuss ways to unite for the 2024 elections. The meeting is expected to be attended by anti-BJP players, who are keen to challenge the incumbent government. However, there is no consensus yet on how to pool resources or strategies.
The AAP is also facing struggles in Delhi, where it is trying to implement social welfare programs. Bharadwaj accuses the central government of trying to block the work of the elected government by stopping surgeries in private hospitals and uprooting people from JJ clusters. He suggests that these moves are part of a larger conspiracy to undermine the AAP’s leadership.
