West Delhi lok Sabha seat witnessed frenzied voting as electors made a beeline for polling booths. The anger against Congress misrule was all too palpable. The rage against Congress seemed to give BJP a leg-up. The urban and rural sectors in West Delhi saw enthusiastic polling. Voters were censorious of the Union Government. Urbane middle class, rural voters and even senior citizens lined up patiently for hours.
As per data available with the Election Commission (EC), around 64.04 per cent of the total 20.38 lakh voters turned up to vote in West Delhi Parliamentary constituency. Congress candidate and sitting MP Mahabal Mishra, BJP candidate and late Delhi Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma’s son Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Jarnail Singh are in the fray.
Trends and enthusiasm in West Delhi parliamentary seat appeared heavily tilted towards BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. Gauging voters’ mood on feelers, Parvesh just might pip his rivals to the post.
Dwarka, Asia’s largest residential colony, which houses Delhi’s politically urban middle class, came out in large numbers to vote for Modi. Similarly, in Matiala, Jat voters voted for Modi alleging Congress did nothing but sit on it haunches in the last five years. In rural areas and villages of West Delhi, voters opted to vote for BJP to usher in change. Voting trends in Mitron village in Najafgarh, known for its internecine gangwars between Anup and Kishan Pehalwan, reflected in favour of BJP. Similarly, villagers of Dichau Kalan, Ishapur, Kharkhari, Jhatikara, Rewla Tajpur and Chhawla also seemed to choose Modi. The voters of unauthorised colonies reportedly voted for either AAP or Congress while the urbane middle class votes went to Modi.
Constituencies such as Tilak Nagar and Hari Nagar — considered Sikh strongholds — seemed divided between BJP and AAP. On the other hand, in Punjabi dominated areas, voters showed a proclivity towards BJP. In some polling booths in West Delhi, polling agents of Congress were conspicuous by their absence. In the Assembly elections last year, Congress had lost all 10 seats.