The Hindu : New Delhi News : Elephantine task for Congress, BJP in N-E Delhi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Nov 16, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

Elephantine task for Congress, BJP in N-E Delhi

Manisha Jha

NEW DELHI: The 10 Assembly constituencies of North East Delhi might not boast of very prominent leaders but they could well provide a keen contest between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party with the Bahujan Samaj Party possibly emerging as a dark horse that could spoil the calculations of several candidates.

While the BJP and the Congress have been campaigning on the basis of “development works” undertaken by them in the constituencies, the BSP is relying on a strong anti-incumbency factor coupled with a formidable voter base of Uttar Pradesh migrants and Scheduled Castes.

Apart from the BJP, the Congress and the BSP, the Samajwadi Party, the Lok Jan Shakti Party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Nationalist Congress Party have also thrown their hats into the ring in various constituencies in North East Delhi. They hope to open their account in this election by cashing in on voter fatigue that is acting against the BJP and the ruling Congress.

North East Delhi comprises the constituencies of Burari, Timarpur, Seemapuri, Rohtas Nagar, Seelampur, Ghonda, Babarpur, Gokalpur, Mustafabad and Karawal Nagar and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s son Sandeep Dikshit represents the area in Parliament.

While former Councillor and sitting MLA Surender Pal Singh Bittoo and the BJP’s Surya Prakash Khatri will battle it out for the Timarpur seat, Seemapuri is witnessing a contest between the Congress’s sitting MLA Vir Singh Dhingan and the BJP’s Chander Pal Singh. In Seelampur, the Congress’s three-time MLA Chaudhary Mateen Ahmad is pitted against the BJP candidate Sita Ram Gupta who heads the party’s East Delhi District. According to Mr. Gupta, a drop in the constituency’s Muslim population from 70 to 50 per cent post-delimitation would give him a clear advantage over the rest of the Muslim candidates.

In Babarpur, former Councillor from Congress Anil Kumar would be facing the BJP’s Naresh Gaur and the BSP’s Dilshad Ali who is being considered a strong contender given the predominant Muslim voter base in the constituency.

In Gokulpur, the BJP’s Ranjeet Singh is up against the Congress’s sitting MLA Balzor Singh. Mustafabad and Karawal Nagar are witnessing a contest between the BJP’s Yogender Kumar and the Congress nominee Hasan Ahmad who is the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president; and Harender Kumar Sharma and DPCC executive member Diwan Singh Nayal respectively.

Some of the key electoral contests in North East Delhi include Burari, Ghonda and Rohtas Nagar. Burari will witness a pitched battle between the Adarsh Nagar Youth Congress president Deepak Tyagi and the BJP’s Sri Krishan Tyagi. This constituency comprising a sizeable number of unauthorised colonies and a mixed voter base had attracted much attention with both the Congress and the BJP keeping cards close to their chest on their candidate till the last day.

Sitting Jahangirpuri Bhalaswa Congress MLA Jile Singh Chauhan who was the top contender from here was denied the ticket and this has upset a lot of Congress supporters and workers in the area. This collective anger can benefit BJP’s Mr. Tyagi.

Ghonda is expected to be a close contest between three-time Congress MLA Bhisham Sharma, sitting Councillor from BSP Rohtas Kumar and chief whip of the BJP in the Assembly Sahab Singh Chauhan who is also the sitting MLA from Yamuna Vihar. In the past, Mr. Sharma has served as Vice-Chairman of Delhi Jal Board and has also been in the news for roughing up BJP leaders Harsharan Singh Balli, Vijay Jolly and Mr Chauhan in the Assembly. However, according to sources, the BSP’s Rohtas Kumar armed with a heavy anti-incumbency factor against Mr. Sharma and Mr. Chauhan is emerging as a serious threat and fancies his chances to bag the seat.

In Rohtas Nagar, the battle lines are drawn between former DPCC president Ram Babu Sharma and BJP leader Alok Kumar. However, the BSP’s candidate Lokesh Dikshit, dubbed as strong candidate even by his political counterparts, could well upset the calculations of his rivals.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi