New Delhi, Feb 9
The much-hyped Mohalla Clinics, once a flagship healthcare initiative of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), are now being seen as among the major reasons for the party's defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections.

Once hailed as a revolutionary step in providing accessible healthcare to the poor, the deteriorating condition of these neighbourhood clinics appears to have cost the AAP support among the urban underprivileged, a key segment of its voter base.

Political rivals, particularly the BJP, seized the opportunity to highlight the alleged shortcomings of the initiative. BJP’s candidate from the New Delhi constituency, Parvesh Verma who defeated AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal from this seat, had strongly criticised the Mohalla Clinics in the run-up to the elections.

He had even written to Kejriwal, terming the clinics "Halla Clinics" and accusing him of deceiving the public in the name of affordable healthcare.

His allegations found resonance among voters who had once placed their trust in the AAP's promises of improved public health services.

BJP President J.P Nadda, during the party’s manifesto release, had alleged that mohalla clinics started by the AAP government as "dens of corruption and inefficiency". He had said there has been a scam of Rs 300 crore and the BJP government will investigate this when it comes to power.

Several other BJP leaders including the Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta had slammed the Delhi government for mismanagement, alleging the lack of medicines, doctors, and equipment for tests.

AAP had claimed that a total of 518 Mohalla Clinics were either set up or functional across Delhi. However, this number fell short of the ambitious target set before the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections, when the party had promised to establish 1,000 such facilities across the city.

Residents in several constituencies expressed their dissatisfaction over the conditions of these clinics. Complaints ranged from the non-availability of doctors and poor conditions to a lack of essential diagnostic facilities. In many areas, clinics remained shut for days, leaving patients with no choice but to seek medical help from private practitioners at higher costs.

Political analysts suggest that AAP’s failure to maintain its own flagship project contributed to the perception of administrative inefficiency, which ultimately impacted voter sentiment.

The BJP, which had been on the offensive against AAP’s governance model, used this issue strategically in its campaign. Several BJP leaders repeatedly highlighted the shortcomings, turning it into a focal point of their campaign.

Mohalla Clinics: AAP’s healthcare promise that backfired