As heavy monsoon rains battered Delhi on Wednesday, the national capital descended into chaos, with severe waterlogging, flooded schools, and paralyzed traffic across several areas. In response, leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which controls the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), accusing it of gross mismanagement and negligence.

AAP senior leader and former Delhi minister Atishi took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to share disturbing visuals of the aftermath. Among the clips was a video reportedly from a government school in Tikri Kalan, where a classroom had been inundated with knee-deep water.

Atishi, who now serves as the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, condemned the ruling party with biting sarcasm. Quoting a journalist’s post, she wrote in Hindi: “The four-engine BJP government should be ashamed.” The term “four-engine” was a clear dig at the BJP’s control at the Centre, Delhi’s civic body, the Lieutenant Governor’s office, and now the mayoralty.

She also tagged newly elected Delhi Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, demanding answers about their absence and lack of preparedness despite the weather department’s prior warnings. In another viral post, she commented on a video shared by ANI, showing people struggling through submerged streets. Her caption read: “Many congratulations to Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for starting water sports in Delhi!”—a remark that has since drawn widespread attention and sparked public debate.

AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj echoed similar concerns. Sharing videos of clogged drains and traffic standstills, he questioned the BJP’s claims of having improved Delhi’s civic infrastructure. “Every monsoon, the same story repeats itself—broken roads, flooded colonies, and silent authorities. What has the BJP been doing for the past 17 years in the MCD?” he asked in a post.

Wednesday’s rainfall, though not record-breaking, exposed the fragility of Delhi’s urban infrastructure. Key intersections such as Minto Road, Ring Road, and parts of South Delhi were submerged for hours. Schools and offices reported delays, while residents took to social media to voice their frustration over stalled buses, fallen trees, and uncollected garbage.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued a forecast for moderate to heavy rain in Delhi NCR throughout the week. Despite this, it appears that civic authorities were caught off guard. According to reports, desilting of drains—an essential pre-monsoon activity—remained incomplete in several areas.

The MCD, under BJP’s leadership, has yet to respond to AAP’s direct accusations, but officials claimed that emergency teams were deployed to pump out water and clear blocked drains. However, the visible condition of the city told a different story.

The episode has once again ignited the long-standing tussle between AAP and BJP over governance in Delhi. While AAP controls the Delhi government, the BJP has held the reins of the MCD for nearly two decades. The resulting overlap of responsibilities and lack of coordination often leaves citizens bearing the brunt during crises.

Civic groups and RWAs (Resident Welfare Associations) have also voiced their disappointment. “Every year we write to the authorities about choked drains, but they never act until it’s too late,” said Sunita Verma, a resident of Rohini. “Why should we suffer because of their politics?”

As the rain continued into Thursday, many parts of the city still struggled with drainage issues. Meanwhile, AAP leaders have called for an emergency review of monsoon readiness and pressed the BJP to take accountability.

Whether the recent criticism will lead to tangible action remains to be seen, but for now, Delhi’s residents continue to wade through a monsoon mess with no clear end in sight.

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