Who will pay a heavier price?

In assembly elections held on 8 February in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal trounced Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party the BJP. Out of a total of 70 seats, the AAP won 62 and the BJP won just 8. Congress was wiped out, getting just 5% of votes, with 63 of its 66 candidates losing their deposits. How did Kjriwal pull it off?  "Providing free power up to 200 units every month for households paid handsome dividends for the incumbent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi elections." In addition, AAP promised free bus rides for women, free pilgrimage for senior citizens and many other freebies. The BJP and the Congress also promised a list of freebies but AAP has been providing free electricity, water and health clinics for 5 years, so it was believed. According to Shekhar Gupta, "nationalism plus religion and socialism is a killer combination electorally". "Nothing can challenge or hurt it. We've been living through this reality since 2014, the Narendra Modi-Amit Shah era." Kejriwal proved his Hindu credentials by singing the Hanuman Chalisa on TV, distributed handouts liberally and was quick to announce "ex-gratia payments to the families of soldiers killed in action on a scale unprecedented in India", while sidestepping protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Delhi to prevent accusations of being anti-national or pro-Muslim. Despite opposition to CAA by the Congress  Muslims voted for AAP. Modi boasts of revoking Article 370, which gave a special status to Kashmir. Article 370 was revoked on 5 August 2019 and Kashmir was placed in a lockdown with curfew on movement of people, shutdown of the internet and arrests of local politicians. Internet access was partially restored last month but is suspended on special days. Former Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah have been under detention since 5 August and have been charged under the Public Safety Act just days ago. The police charge against Abdullah was his ability to "convince his electorate to vote in huge numbers", said an editorial in the Indian Express. Mufti was compared to a medieval queen due to "her dangerous and insidious machinations and usurping profile and nature". The queen referred to was Kota Rani, who lived in the 14th century and apparently led a colorful life, presumably in an effort to survive in those uncertain times when one could be killed by a powerful enemy. "Official orders served upon former J&K CMs Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti while seeking their detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA) have not included phrases such as 'radical ideology' and 'daddy's girl' that were part of dossiers sent by J&K Police." Kejriwal may find it easy to promise handouts but may find it difficult to finance them, while Modi found it easy to get into Kashmir but may find it impossible to get out. The future maybe fraught.