With the Delhi assembly election looming, the BJP and AAP have turned social media into a battleground, using memes and satirical videos to target each other. The posts from both parties’ official handles range from comparing their rivals to Bollywood’s iconic villains to tweaked movie posters that highlight crime in the capital.
The two rivals are also replying to each other in memes. On December 12, a meme posted by AAP likened Home Minister Amit Shah to Bollywood’s iconic villain Mogambo, with an illustration of him in the uniform worn by the 1983 film Mr India’s character. The meme featured the phrase “Mogambo khush hua (is happy)” alongside details of the latest crime incidents. The caption said, “Lahuluhan hoti Delhi ko dekh kar, khush ho raha hai Mogambo (Mogambo is getting happy looking at the bloodshed in Delhi).”
लहूलुहान होती दिल्ली को देखकर, ख़ुश हो रहा है Mogambo‼️ pic.twitter.com/oGNvAY1Ttk
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) December 12, 2024
In response, the BJP targeted AAP over the mounds of garbage in Delhi, with a satirical video inspired by the famous Bollywood film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, with heaps of garbage in the background and the caption, “Kachra saaf karne ke bajaye AAP ne lagaya koodhe ka ambar (Instead of cleaning the garbage, AAP has piled up a heap of trash)!”
कचरा साफ़ करने के बजाए AAP ने लगाया कूड़े का अम्बार!#पलटू_AAP #10SaalDilliBehaal pic.twitter.com/6VZy9BEBhO
— BJP Delhi (@BJP4Delhi) December 15, 2024
‘Slap gate’, corruption, ‘freebies’ in focus against AAP
Taking a jab at the incident when AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal’s secretary Bibhav Kumar allegedly slapped AAP MP Swati Maliwal at the CM’s house, the BJP’s Twitter handle posted a poster on December 15 titled “Sheesh Mahal Thappad Kand”.
अपने ही महिला सांसद को अपने शीशमहल में बुला कर पिटवाने वाले अब कर रहे महिला सम्मान की बात? दिल्ली और पूरा देश जानता है महिला विरोधी है AAP#महिला_विरोधी_AAP pic.twitter.com/l1hpscZMAh
— BJP Delhi (@BJP4Delhi) December 15, 2024
The poster was captioned, “Apne hi mahila sansad ko apne sheeshmahal mein bula kar pittwane wale ab kar rahe mahila samman ki baat? Dilli aur poora desh jaanta hai mahila virodhi hai AAP (those who invited their own woman MP to their palace to beat her up are now talking about women’s respect? Delhi and the entire country know that AAP is anti-women).”
In another post on December 14, the BJP called out Kejriwal, saying that “looting public money” has become his right. Featuring a compilation of videos of Times Now anchor Sushant Sinha, that concludes with the credits of “AAPFLIX”, it talks about luxuries at the CM house.
जनता के पैसों को लूटना तो अब मेरा मौलिक अधिकार बन गया है: आपका धूर्त केजरीवाल #लूट_का_अड्डा_शीशमहल pic.twitter.com/isNVD8SGWP
— BJP Delhi (@BJP4Delhi) December 14, 2024
The BJP took the social media game a step further with a video with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s voice in the background talking about the AAP’s various alleged “scams” and cartoons of Kejriwal and Atishi depicting it in the video.
In a post on December 13, the BJP targeted AAP’s “rewari (freebies)”, saying that Kejriwal gave six rewaris to the people of Delhi and himself ate 12 rabris (sweets).
A video posted by the BJP says Delhi is ready to “breakup” with AAP over poor water quality and “fake medicines”. Another video focusing on air pollution forms a similar premise, with an actor playing “Keju”.
The saffron party also launched a rap song on Kejriwal, titled “Keju hai Dilli ka millionaire”. The song features catchy lyrics, such as “I get liquor money, super fast, jhootha hai nature, karta nahi care… Keju hai Dilli ka millionaire (false by nature, doesn’t care… Keju is Delhi’s millionaire).”
Liquor deals,
— BJP (@BJP4India) December 10, 2024
दिल्ली का नाश...
I get liquor money,
super fast
झूठा है nature,
करता नहीं care…
केजू है दिल्ली का MILLIONAIRE!#भ्रष्टाचारी_AAP pic.twitter.com/l1O6dIUs9q
While AAP is the target of a majority of memes posted by the BJP’s Delhi unit, it also takes a jibe on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi once in a while. In a post on December 7, with Gandhi’s face photoshopped on a Coolie film poster, the caption said, “The unsuccessful show continues…”.
Memes on Delhi crime, bulldozer, ‘gangsters’ to target BJP
On the other hand, AAP is emphasising the alleged setbacks in law and order as the Delhi police come under Home Minister Amit Shah.
A video posted by AAP on December 15, styled like Amazon Prime home page with the logo “Delhi Crime Video,” featured a montage of TV news reports on crimes in the capital. Its caption said, “Amit Shah ki nakami dikhata: Delhi Crime Video (Amit Shah’s failure on display: Delhi Crime Video).”
In a series of posts, the Kejriwal-led party’s social media has placed Amit Shah in the spotlight.
In a Bollywood-inspired movie poster titled “Crime Master Gogo”, a purported illustration of Shah is seen saying, “Kanoon vyavastha ki dhajiyan uda doonga (I will leave law and order in ruins)”. The caption says, “Dilli ka Crime Master Gogo: Amit Shah”.
Two other posters purportedly featuring Shah are titled “Thugs of Samvidhan” and “Kanoon Vyavastha ka Bhakshak”. A third poster, using the Lapata Ladies film’s imagery, is captioned “Lapata Amit Shah”.
Another cartoon featuring Shah shows him on a bulldozer near schools and buildings, saying that “one wrong vote” could cost the city its “Delhi model”.
While the BJP’s videos are original productions, AAP’s content often includes photoshopped videos, such as one where Amit Shah’s face is placed on the character “Virus" from 3 Idiots, creating a spoof video titled “BJP ki vote kaatne ki Pathshala (BJP’s school of cutting votes)”.
भाजपा की वोट काटने की 'पाठशाला'‼️ pic.twitter.com/ai5jtVgOaT
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) December 7, 2024
Both parties have also tapped into old memes. AAP posted a meme on December 12 featuring a purported cartoon of Amit Shah with the message “Phir layenge Kejriwal (We’ll again bring Kejriwal)”.
Some of the BJP and AAP memes are also strikingly similar. For instance, the BJP posted a meme video on December 10, showing Rahul Gandhi as a “puppet” of Soros. Six days later, AAP shared the same video meme, but with Amit Shah portrayed as a puppet of “gangsters.”
Delhi is expected to go to polls in February.
Small teams can do great things. All it takes is a subscription. Subscribe now and power Newslaundry’s work.
Newslaundry is a reader-supported, ad-free, independent news outlet based out of New Delhi. Support their journalism, here.
