If the analysis of votes and the victory in South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) was any indicator, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has managed to retain its vote share among the poor sections of the society whereas the BJP managed to gain the lower and upper middle class that it had lost in the 2015 Assembly elections.
Case in point are two wards; Pushp Vihar and Madangir dominated by lower and middle class and downtrodden sections respectively.
Pushp Vihar, Ward 80-S, comprising of Central Government colonies and Madangir, Ward 79- S the hub of slum and JJ cluster colonies both are situated opposite to each other in South Delhi's Saket area.
On April 23, both the wards voted in municipal polls to address their civic issues. However, the results on Wednesday cleared the picture about their representatives in the SDMC.
In ward 79-S, the slum dominated area, AAP's candidate Dinesh Kumar won by polling 9,057 vote against 7,053 votes of BJP candidate Subhash Nagar.
On the contrary, Pushp Vihar, mostly inhabited by middle class families voted for the BJP. The party’s candidate Rekha won the ward with 10,170 votes against Trivani the AAP candidate who managed to get 8,270 votes. Interestingly, in both the wards - Pushp Vihar, Madangir, Congress leaders - Panna lal Kahirwal (2688) and Babita (4558) were third.
The Central Government employees residing in Pushp Vihar believe that having the BJP candidate as area councillor will ensure water supply, parking facilities - better concrete roads and clean and crime-free park.
Whereas, people living on the other side of BRT road want subsidy on water and electricity and also tenants living in this area want standard rate of electricity units.
"We have no faith in the AAP Government because they have failed to fullfil their promises. There is limited supply of Delhi Jal Board (DJB) in Central Government colonies and the condition of parks is pathetic," said a Central Government employee who works in Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Meanwhile, people who living in Madangir said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is the leader who fights for the rights of poor.
"Kejriwal is doing his best for people like us. We live in unauthorised colonies and had no assurance of water earlier," said Krishna Devi." Kejriwal is working for us but the big leaders are not supporting him," she added.