The New Delhi Assembly seat shot to prominence ahead of the 2013 Assembly polls when a newcomer, Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal, showed up to wrest power from veteran Congress politician Sheila Dikshit.
From a ‘safe seat’ of the Congress – Ms. Dikshit was elected legislator thrice from the area (earlier known as Gole Market) - it became the venue for the “big fight” that saw Mr. Kejriwal defeat the former Delhi Chief Minister by a margin of over 25,000 votes.
The tale of the “historic win” was told and retold in Delhi’s circles with the realisation that the rookie party had arrived on the political field. Just over a year later and Mr. Kejriwal will once again contest from this seat while his party’s main political rival, the Bharatiya Janata Party, has been holding several meetings in the constituency reminding voters that he resigned from the government and “fled from his responsibilities” as Chief Minister and legislator.
Yet for the February 7 polls, the BJP has kept away its senior leaders from this seat fielding newcomer and student leader 30-year-old Nupur Sharma instead. Meanwhile, the Congress has chosen to field former Women and Child Welfare Minister Kiran Walia, considered close to Ms. Dikshit.
The New Delhi constituency which boasts among other things of the architecturally marvellous Lutyens’ Delhi is home to a heterogeneous group of residents forcing political parties to tweak their poll promises to suit all.
Balmiki Mandir in the constituency has now become an object of political symbolism – aimed at the city’s Dalit vote-bank.
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose the temple premise to launch the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Mr. Kejirwal started his road show last Tuesday while on his way to file his nomination papers.
While the AAP brought out a constituency-specific manifesto last time focusing on problems affecting the voters , it has decided to give that exercise a skip this year with more focus on jan sabhas.
The BJP’s top leadership has decided to give New Delhi a miss in its campaign schedule leaving Ms. Sharma, a New Delhi resident, to knock on doors and appeal for votes.
Constituency Watch - New Delhi
Three main contenders in 2015
BJP: Nupur Sharma AAP: Arvind Kejriwal Congress: Kiran Walia
