Number Theory: A political tale of two Delhi budgets

When the Aam Admi Party (AAP) captured power in Delhi, it brought welfare or populism to the political centre stage not just in Delhi, but in other parts of the country as well. It was political goodwill built on welfare among the city-state’s underclass that gave the AAP two overwhelming back-to-back victories in the Delhi assembly. The bedrock of the BJP’s challenge to the AAP in the 2025 elections was not a criticism of its welfarism. In fact, the BJP’s top leadership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi included, went on record to say that none of the schemes the AAP brought would be discontinued if the BJP came to power. What the BJP made an issue of was governance. A comparison of numbers from 2024-25 and 2025-26 budgets shows clearly why the BJP’s campaign resonated with the electorate.