North-West Delhi constituency, the stronghold of Congress is expected to reverse the trend with the BJP making considerable dent in its Dalits vote bank on the issue of price rise and corruption.
Poll analysts say this may well translate into votes for the BJP that has made a serious bid to regain the power from the Congress. People of rural areas appeared cross with the ruling Congress as they did not get a pie in the developmental cake claimed by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. This part of the Delhi saw people coming out in large numbers to register their resentment.
Voters of Mangolpuri, Sultanpuri Mazra, Bawana (reserved) and Badli seat came out in large number to cast their votes on Wednesday. The people of these resettlement colonies are considered strong supporters of the Congress party.
Congress MlA Jai Kishan who is contesting from Sultan Pur Mazra, expressed hope that he would win the seat. The constituency has a large number of Balmiki votes. Voters of this constituency have come out in a large number to support the Congress. The Congress has never lost elections in both Sultanpuri and Mangolpuri. According to the locals, AAP will not have any impact in Sultanpuri Mazra. On the other hand, BJP has an advantage in Mundka, Rithala, Kirari and Narela Constituency.
In Mundka, Master Azad Singh is a known face. Singh is the brother of late Union Minister and Jat leader Sahib Singh Verma. The polling was low in morning but after 2 pm, large number of people came out from their houses to cast their vote. As far as AAP is concerned, its candidate Krishan Kumar is likely to dent Congress vote bank.
There is no doubt that the AAP is the dark horse this election season, but in North-West constituency, except Bawana, Narela and Kirari, no one considering it the third contender. There will be close contest between BJP candidate Anil Jha and Congress candidate Amit Malik in Kirari Assembly seat. Both of them had contested Delhi University polls as students’ leader. While Anil Jha of BJP is hopeful to win the seat, banking on poorvanchali vote bank. People of poorvanchali flocked the polling booth to cast their vote.
In Narela, new entrant Neeldaman Khatri is contesting first time and giving tough fight to the sitting MlA Jaswant Rana as Rana has already facing anti-party politics. “Security of women was the biggest issue for me. There are many stretches in our area, which do not have street lights, which is a matter of concern. And several areas of Narela have also not seen development here,” said 34-year-old house-wife, Hemlata Sharma, adding that inflation was the biggest issue for her.