No full Statehood status to the national Capital but water supply in every household, this is the demand of the Delhiites from their representatives in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
At a time when all political parties are raising the issues of nationalism, unemployment and full statehood status for Delhi, the residents of the high-profile constituencies — New Delhi and South Delhi insist that they need someone who takes care of their day-to-day problems first.
For Sunjay, who runs a coaching centre in South Extension in the vicinity of Paying Guest (PG) accommodation, water supply to his institute is more important rather full statehood status to Delhi.
"What aam aadmi will get from full statehood, in my area water is contentious issue, but no political leadership is working on it," said Sujay who is working in IT firm and give coaching to students.
In South Delhi constituency, for Kushalji, the leader should be one who can take up the issues of partially supply of electricity, water and decaying water bodies in the parliament.
Surprisingly, after 70 years of independence, there are houses in South Delhi without electricity connection. "I don't have an electricity connection, so I need to pay Rs 300 every month for a connection and Rs 300 for water. This makes a big dent in my pocket as my work is seasonal," said a resident.
Water supply issue is not reserve up to South Extension or some other parts in New Delhi only but areas under South Delhi - Mehrauli, Chattarpur , and Snagam Vihar also having severe water scarcity problem particularly during summers. Water supply remains one of the biggest concerns for the residents
A domestic helper in South Delhi , said she has to buy water from tankers as sometimes they do not get water for a month. "The situation gets really bad during the summer in Sangam Vihar. While Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal has done a lot of work for the people but these basic issues still need to be sorted," she said.
Baby Prasad nods in agreement. "We want someone to work for the daily issues first. I live in Chattarpur which has a water supply problem. Some work has been done, like piped water has reached some places, but it is yet to reach the inner lanes. Sewer lines are also urgently needed there," said Prasad, who works as a cook.
Before the delimitation exercise carried out in 2008, the constituency comprised a number of upscale areas, but now it predominantly has urban villages, unauthorised and resettlement colonies and slums which present a number of infrastructural challenges.
It has 10 Assembly segments — Chattarpur, Palam, Bijwasan, Kalkaji, Mehrauli, Deoli, Ambedkar Nagar, Sangam Vihar, Tughlaqabad and Badarpur.
The seat is witnessing a triangular contest among AAP's Raghav Chadha, sitting BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri and Congress's Vijender Singh. The AAP, which is seeking to wrest the seat from the BJP, has been raising local issues before the people.
