Even as the Bhartiya Janata Party is celebrating its thumping victory — 181 of 270 wards — against the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party in the April 23 Delhi municipal elections, other regional and national parties have managed to bag an extremely modest number of five seats.
Attempt to leave mark
Besides BJP, AAP and Congress, parties including Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI(Marxist), Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Lok Dal and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen tried to leave their mark in the Capital’s civic bodies but in vain.
The winners from these parties include Deepak Mehra from the SP who won from South Delhi Municipal Corporation’s Ghuman Hera; BSP’s Shakila Begum and Jugnu from East Delhi Municipal Corporation’s Seelampur and Gharoli respectively; BSP’s Jai Bhagwan won from North Delhi Municipal Corporation’s Rohini C; and INLD’s Neelam from SDMC’s Dichaon Kalan.
BSP supporters and party workers made merry outside the counting centre in east Delhi after Ms. Begum’s win.
2,400 votes
Explaining the reason behind Ms. Begum’s win with a margin of 2,400 votes, Kausar Parveen said, “She spent from her own pocket to develop roads and dispensaries in the area. She was always approachable and listened to us.”
Expressing her happiness over the victory, Ms. Begum said a lot remains to be done in the area.
“My people needs me at this time,” she said.
‘BJP failed us’
Many residents said she won because the BJP had failed them.
“What the BJP has done to us in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre cannot be forgotten. We suffered during demonetisation and the meat ban. We don’t know what’s in store for us next,” said Rehman.
SP Delhi unit chief Usha Yadav said the BJP won because they’re in power at the Centre. “I think the reason behind our loss and the BJP’s win is that they are in power at the Centre. If we had won in UP, people might have voted for us,” she said.
Fulfil the promises
JD(U)’s message to the BJP on its win stated that it must fulfil the promises made to the people of UP, Bihar and Delhi.
“The BJP should be ready for the responsibility that comes with winning these elections. We all know how the party fared the last time. Why else would they have given tickets to new faces,” said the party’s national general secretary Sanjay Kumar Jha.
