Hindi English Translation || Editorial || ​Power and prestige: On the Delhi Assembly elections 2025

​Power and prestige: On the Delhi Assembly elections 2025

Civic issues cry for (माँग करना, पुकारना) attention (ध्यान), but Delhi polls are about competitive (प्रतिस्पर्धी, आक्रामक) welfarism (कल्याणवाद)

Delhi is not much more than a Union Territory with limited powers for its legislature (विधान मंडल) and government. The division (विभाजन, बँटवारा) of powers between the Lieutenant Governor and the provincial (regional, territorial) government has been a matter of perennial (continuing, unending, never-ending, endless, ceaseless, lasting, everlasting, persisting, perpetual, constant, continual, unchanging, never-changing) debate, and has curtailed (घटाना, कम करना) the role of the latter. Yet, the Delhi Assembly (विधानसभा) elections are no less (just as, equally, as much as, not less) prestigious than that of any other State. Hosting (मेज़बान) the capital city and a humongous (विशाल, अत्यधिक) population that has burgeoned significantly, as the National Capital Region (राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र) remains a magnet (चुंबक) for employment, commerce and livelihoods (आजीविका), Delhi is a melting pot (a place with different people & their cultures combined together). Increasingly (more and more, steadily more, continuously more, gradually more), class and welfare (कल्याण) issues have become salient (important, main, crucial, prominent, noticeable, obvious, conspicuous, evident, striking, visible, distinct, clear-cut, notable) in Delhi’s elections even as identity (a social category, a set of persons marked by a label and distinguished by rules deciding membership and (alleged) characteristic features or attributes; individuality, character, originality) issues have become less determinant (factor, issue, concern, point, matter) of political fortunes (circumstances, prospects, means, state of affairs, condition (the success/failure of something)). Delhi has urbanised (become urban areas in character) dramatically (very suddenly, greatly, rapidly, aggressively, abruptly), with some of India’s highest net worth families in posh (upper-class, upmarket, luxurious, rich) neighbourhoods ((surrounding) area, region, district/country), living cheek by jowl (very close together, with each other closely, jointly) alongside (together and in cooperation with) slums (a highly populated urban residential area consisting of densely packed housing units of weak build quality and often associated with poverty) housing the working class (a social class comprising those who do manual labour or work for daily wages. You’re working class if you get paid daily/weekly, typically in cash. You’re middle class if you get paid monthly, as a salaried employee with benefits and a pension) and the urban poor. There is a large middle class no longer (in the past but not now; not now as formerly; not any more) just employed in the massive government apparatus (system, set-up, organisation, structure, framework) in the capital city. The metropolis (a big city/a large & busy city) is also host (a place that holds something) to small businesses, factories and services employing the many migrants (a person who moves from one region to another - either within a country or across national borders in order to find work or better living conditions) from the hinterlands (remote areas of a country away from the coastal areas/the banks of major rivers) of north India. Civic (नागरिक) concerns abound (be in large numbers; be plentiful, be numerous) in each of these segments, making the Delhi elections unique. The three main political parties, AAP, the BJP and the Congress, must address (tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out) these concerns in their campaigns (canvassing, electioneering, an act of soliciting (asking for/requesting) votes; an organized effort that seeks to influence the decision-making progress within a specific group) and cannot focus on just identity and patronage (support, backing, protection) politics.

As Delhi gets to vote today, it will be known whether the pattern of voting in recent election cycles (series, sequence), for the BJP at the Centre and favouring (support, back, endorse, approve , advocate, champion, chosen, stand up for) AAP in the Assembly will remain. AAP has managed to successfully get the support of a coalition (alliance, association, union, partnership) of middle and lower class voters through its welfarist (relating to the principles connected with the welfare state) measures (action, step, procedure) and by fostering (encourage, promote, strengthen, nurture, develop) an image (public perception, impression, persona, identity; reputation) of being a crusader (campaigner, champion, advocate, promoter) for clean (honest, upright, righteous, reputable, blameless) governance, helping it rule the roost (be in complete control, be in charge of, boss others) in the past two elections. This time, however, its anti-corruption plank (a fundamental point) and image have taken a beating after its key leaders, Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, were arrested for their roles in the liquor (alcoholic drink) policy case. “Stand-in (temporary, interim, provisional, transitional, short-term, substitute, acting)” Chief Minister Atishi has sought to reorient (change the focus/direction of something) the party’s image even as it has doubled down on its welfarist message with a slew (a large number of, lot, range) of sops (a conciliatory gift, concession; something given/provided (which is ,often, of less importance) to pacify somebody) targeting its core (central, basic, key) support base (a group of people considered as supporting an organization/party). The BJP has had to focus on emphasising (highlight, underscore, underline, stress, call/draw attention to) its own welfarism in response (as a result of, in reaction to) while the Congress has tried hard to regain its lost base. Yet, the campaigns have been full of vituperation (bitter language and abusive language; criticism, condemnation, castigation, blame, vilification) and mudslinging with little by way of (through, via, along the way of) a clear position on how to tackle the core issues — the air pollution in particular (particularly, especially, to be specific). As the dust clears, the electorate (all the people in a country who are eligible to vote in an election) will have to choose candidates who are able to rise above (cut across, go beyond, transcend, conquer, overcome, excel, outstrip, outshine, outdo) narrow (narrow-minded, intolerant, illiberal, partisan, sectarian, discriminatory) mindedness and cater to (present someone with what is needed; try to satisfy/fulfil a need of; please, satisfy, gratify) the aspirations of residents of what could well be India’s most populous (densely populated) city today.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.(Legislative) Assembly (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विधानसभा
English Meaning - Assembly/Vidhan Sabha; a legislative body in the states and union territories of India.

2.civic (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - नागरिक
English Meaning - relating to a city, town or local area and also relating to the duties or activities of people living there.

3.cry for (phrasal verb)

Hindi Meaning - माँग करना, पुकारना
English Meaning - ask for, call for, demand, necessitate, need, require (something) very much.

4.attention (noun)

Hindi Meaning - ध्यान
English Meaning - observation, notice, heed, consideration, regard, action, care, support.

5.competitive (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - प्रतिस्पर्धी, आक्रामक
English Meaning - aggressive, fierce, cut-throat, relentless, ambitious.

6.welfarism (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कल्याणवाद
English Meaning - the principles, policies, practices, and social attitudes of a welfare state.

7.legislature (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विधान मंडल
English Meaning - law-making body or governing body; parliament, congress, council, assembly.

8.division (noun)

Hindi Meaning - विभाजन, बँटवारा
English Meaning - dividing up, splitting, break-up.

9.curtail (verb)

Hindi Meaning - घटाना, कम करना
English Meaning - reduce, decrease, cut down, lessen, diminish, restrict, limit.

10.host (verb)

Hindi Meaning - मेज़बान
English Meaning - have, hold, present.

11.humongous (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - विशाल, अत्यधिक
English Meaning - huge, enormous, substantial/massive.

12.National Capital Region (NCR) (noun)

Hindi Meaning - राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र
English Meaning - it constitutes of National Capital Territory Delhi and various parts of three states namely UP, Haryana and Rajasthan.

13.magnet (noun)

Hindi Meaning - चुंबक
English Meaning - attraction, focal point, crowd-puller, focus.

14.livelihood (noun)

Hindi Meaning - आजीविका
English Meaning - means of making a living with the basic necessities (food, water, shelter and clothing); means of support, subsistence, source of income.

15.welfare (noun)

Hindi Meaning - कल्याण
English Meaning - a government program that provides (financial) assistance to individuals and families in need; social security, public assistance.

16.the legislature (noun)

English Meaning - the House; a deliberative body of persons, usually elective, who are empowered to make, change, or repeal the laws of a country or state. India follows a bicameral (two chambers/parts) system at both the centre and state level.

17.provincial (adjective)

English Meaning - regional, territorial.

18.perennial (adjective)

English Meaning - continuing, unending, never-ending, endless, ceaseless, lasting, everlasting, persisting, perpetual, constant, continual, unchanging, never-changing.

19.no less (phrase)

English Meaning - just as, equally, as much as, not less.

20.burgeon (verb)

English Meaning - flourish, do well, prosper, develop, bloom, thrive, be successful, grow vigorously.

21.commerce (noun)

English Meaning - business, trade.

22.melting pot (noun)

English Meaning - a place with different people & their cultures combined together.

23.increasingly (adverb)

English Meaning - more and more, steadily more, continuously more, gradually more.

24.salient (adjective)

English Meaning - important, main, crucial, prominent, noticeable, obvious, conspicuous, evident, striking, visible, distinct, clear-cut, notable.

25.identity (noun)

English Meaning - a social category, a set of persons marked by a label and distinguished by rules deciding membership and (alleged) characteristic features or attributes; individuality, character, originality.

26.determinant (noun)

English Meaning - factor, issue, concern, point, matter.

27.fortunes (noun)

English Meaning - circumstances, prospects, means, state of affairs, condition (the success/failure of something).

28.urbanise (verb)

English Meaning - become urban areas in character.

29.dramatically (adverb)

English Meaning - very suddenly, greatly, rapidly, aggressively, abruptly.

30.posh (adjective)

English Meaning - upper-class, upmarket, luxurious, rich.

31.neighbourhood (noun)

English Meaning - (surrounding) area, region, district/country.

32.cheek by jowl (phrase)

English Meaning - very close together, with each other closely, jointly.

33.alongside (preposition)

English Meaning - together and in cooperation with.

34.slum (noun)

English Meaning - a highly populated urban residential area consisting of densely packed housing units of weak build quality and often associated with poverty.

35.house (verb)

English Meaning - accommodate, provide shelter for, put up.

36.working class (noun)

English Meaning - a social class comprising those who do manual labour or work for daily wages. You’re working class if you get paid daily/weekly, typically in cash. You’re middle class if you get paid monthly, as a salaried employee with benefits and a pension.

37.no longer (phrase)

English Meaning - in the past but not now; not now as formerly; not any more.

38.apparatus (noun)

English Meaning - system, set-up, organisation, structure, framework.

39.metropolis (noun)

English Meaning - a big city/a large & busy city.

40.host (noun)

English Meaning - a place that holds something.

41.migrant (noun)

English Meaning - a person who moves from one region to another - either within a country or across national borders in order to find work or better living conditions.

42.hinterland (noun)

English Meaning - remote areas of a country away from the coastal areas/the banks of major rivers.

43.abound (verb)

English Meaning - be in large numbers; be plentiful, be numerous.

44.address (verb)

English Meaning - tackle, deal with, attend to, try to sort out.

45.campaign (noun)

English Meaning - canvassing, electioneering, an act of soliciting (asking for/requesting) votes; an organized effort that seeks to influence the decision-making progress within a specific group.

46.identity politics (plural noun)

English Meaning - it is also called as identitarian politics, refers to political positions based on the interests and perspectives of social groups with which people identify. Identity politics is when people of a particular race, ethnicity, gender, or religion form alliances and organize politically to defend their group’s interests.

47.patronage (noun)

English Meaning - support, backing, protection.

48.get to (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to begin to do

49.cycle (noun)

English Meaning - series, sequence.

50.favour (verb)

English Meaning - support, back, endorse, approve , advocate, champion, chosen, stand up for.

51.coalition (noun)

English Meaning - alliance, association, union, partnership.

52.welfarist (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to the principles connected with the welfare state.

53.measure (noun)

English Meaning - action, step, procedure.

54.foster (verb)

English Meaning - encourage, promote, strengthen, nurture, develop.

55.image (noun)

English Meaning - public perception, impression, persona, identity; reputation.

56.crusader (noun)

English Meaning - campaigner, champion, advocate, promoter.

57.clean (adjective)

English Meaning - honest, upright, righteous, reputable, blameless.

58.rule the roost (phrase)

English Meaning - be in complete control, be in charge of, boss others.

59.plank (noun)

English Meaning - a fundamental point.

60.take a beating (phrase)

English Meaning - suffer defeat/damage (very badly)

61.liquor (noun)

English Meaning - alcoholic drink.

62.stand-in (adjective)

English Meaning - temporary, interim, provisional, transitional, short-term, substitute, acting.

63.sought past tense of seek (verb)

English Meaning - try, aim, attempt.

64.reorient (verb)

English Meaning - change the focus/direction of something.

65.double down (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - to be more firm & resolute on something (decided) even if that might be a risky choice; to double or increase a risk involved in doing something.

66.slew (noun)

English Meaning - a large number of, lot, range.

67.sops (noun)

English Meaning - a conciliatory gift, concession; something given/provided (which is ,often, of less importance) to pacify somebody.

68.core (adjective)

English Meaning - central, basic, key.

69.base (noun)

English Meaning - a group of people considered as supporting an organization/party.

70.emphasise (verb)

English Meaning - highlight, underscore, underline, stress, call/draw attention to.

71.in response (phrase)

English Meaning - as a result of, in reaction to.

72.vituperation (noun)

English Meaning - bitter language and abusive language; criticism, condemnation, castigation, blame, vilification.

73.mud-slinging (noun)

English Meaning - an act of making malicious (nasty/hurtful) statements or comments, especially against a political opponent; character assassination, defamation, dirty politics, name-calling, abuse.

74.by way of (phrase)

English Meaning - through, via, along the way of,

75.in particular (phrase)

English Meaning - particularly, especially, to be specific.

76.as the dust clears/settles (phrase)

English Meaning - as things calm down.

77.electorate (noun)

English Meaning - all the people in a country who are eligible to vote in an election.

78.rise above (verb)

English Meaning - cut across, go beyond, transcend, conquer, overcome, excel, outstrip, outshine, outdo.

79.narrow (adjective)

English Meaning - narrow-minded, intolerant, illiberal, partisan, sectarian, discriminatory.

80.cater to (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - present someone with what is needed; try to satisfy/fulfil a need of; please, satisfy, gratify.

81.aspiration (noun)

English Meaning - desire, wish, longing, expectation, urge, objective, goal, target.

82.populous (adjective)

English Meaning - densely populated.