Around 25 people holding flags and wearing AAP caps walked through P-Block of Malviya Nagar raising slogans. Using a microphone attached to a speaker, a man shouted: “ Malviya Nagar ki janata se appeal hai ki aap ke neta Somnath Bharti, aap ke gali aur mohalla mei, aap se milne aaye hain. (An appeal to the people of Malviya Nagar, your leader Somnath Bharti has come to your street to meet you)”.
“ Malviya nagar ki janata Somnath Bharti ko ghar se baahar aa karke aashirvad de rehi he, aayiye, aap bhi aashirvad digiye (People of Malviya Nagar are coming out and blessing Somnath Bharti. You also come and bless him),” he continued.
Mr. Bharti, the sitting AAP MLA from Malviya Nagar, smiled at the people and while shaking their hands said: “ Jhadoo ko vote dena (Please vote for jhadoo ).” The jhadoo (broom) is AAP’s election symbol. As the group moved on foot, two autorickshaws followed playing Hindi tunes dubbed into election songs for the AAP leader.
“I am telling the people, if I have worked, then vote for me. There are a lot of projects still unfinished. The dream we have in our mind that Malviya Nagar should be a model constituency is half fulfilled. And if I come back to power, we will fulfil it,” Mr. Bharti told The Hindu.
He added that, if re-elected, he would implement an extensive rainwater harvesting project, and that “traffic decongestion” would be a priority issue.
Meanwhile, the residents were divided on the work done by the party.
“They have done good work. They have installed CCTVs, porta-cabins for security guards and benches in parks,” said Rita Bhandari, 52, a resident of B-Block. “Our children do not study in government schools but I have heard that they have improved,” she added.
“ Mujhe koi benefit nahi mila hai (I have not received any benefits),” said Sachin Arora, 40, who runs a stationary shop in G-Block. “When he [Mr. Kejriwal] came to power we thought that he is from IIT and he will transform Delhi into a world-class city. But look outside, this road is the same as it was five years back,” he rued, adding: “You do not need any expertise in giving free things. But he will get votes for sure.”
Showing a four-page “report card” of work done, Mr. Bharti said: “I am the first MLA in the area to give a report card of the work done. Even though a lot of things are under the civic body [run by the BJP], I will get it done. Whatever your demands are, I will get it done after [February] 8th [election day].”
“ Victory digiye sab log ”(Please show victory sign),” an AAP supporter said as Mr. Bharti got ready to click a photo with a group of women.
