Delhi Election Result: Why did Twitter 'raise a biryani' to AAP's resounding victory?

Image: flickr

The Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party on February 11 witnessed a resounding victory in the Delhi elections, winning 62 of the total 70 Assembly seats. The remaining eight seats went to the BJP, while the Congress won nothing.

Even as the counting of votes was underway, trends from the Election Commission had made it amply clear that the Kejriwal’s AAP would be coming to power for a second term. In view of their handsome victory, AAP leaders and party cadre celebrated with cake-cutting, road-shows, paying obeisance, singing and dancing.

However, the Twitterati celebrated in an odd fashion – savouring biryani. Hours after the victory for the ruling party was clear, Twitter users – supporters and activists – and various journalists put up pictures of them having biryani, non-vegetarian and vegetarian (yes, it’s a delicacy too), from their handles.

While some may find this odd, those following the run-up to the polls could probably guess the innuendo.

Weeks ahead of Delhi elections, several BJP leaders was seen making polarised remarks about Shaheen Bagh, the epicentre of anti- Citizenship Act protests. The Muslim-dominated area has seen a peaceful sit-in, led mostly by women and children, who have been sitting their resolutely for over 60 days demanding withdrawal of the contentious Citizenship Act and abandonment of a nation-wide NRC (National Register of Citizens).

Lashing out at anti-CAA protesters, BJP candidate from Model Town Kapil Mishra had stoked a controversy saying electoral battle in Delhi was akin to one between “India and Pakistan” and that AAP and Congress had made Shaheen Bagh a “mini Pakistan”.

Similarly, in an exclusive interview to Moneycontrol, BJP candidate from Hari Nagar had said people gathered at Shaheen Bagh were lured by biryani.

Earlier, BJP’s IT Cell head Amit Malviya had accused Shaheen Bagh protesters with a similar charge, saying the protest is a sponsored one and people are being lured by biryani and other refreshments. For this, the protesters had even slapped a defamation suit on Malviya demanding a compensation of Rs 1 crore.

In fact, three days ahead of the polls, Malviya had put up a picture from his Twitter handle with a caption that read: “Proof of Biryani being distributed at Shaheen Bagh!”

Proof of Biryani being distributed at Shaheen Bagh! pic.twitter.com/ylwnjJr2oy

— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) February 5, 2020

If a rather polarising campaign by the BJP is placed in context, pictures of people savouring biryani on Twitter will make much sense. In fact, biryani sales legit went up in the national capital after the results were announced.

Here is the Twitterati was up to:

Here’s a hate-free truly Indian Biryani! pic.twitter.com/BdoWWAPYLe

— vir sanghvi (@virsanghvi) February 11, 2020

For BJP

With Love #Biryani pic.twitter.com/MG2PJ0GYvj

— Priyanka Chowhan (@chowhanpriyanka) February 12, 2020

We, in New York City, have also procured some biryani. pic.twitter.com/KSIzqtOmHK

— Aatish Taseer (@AatishTaseer) February 12, 2020