Congress, which was just reduced to eight seats in the last Assembly elections in the national Capital, has decided to field several such candidates who had contested against the party in the past elections. In fact, some of these had been instrumental in defeating the Congress candidates in the previous polls. There is resentment within a section of the Congress workers who feel that the party should have given tickets to only those who had stood by it in trying times.
Of the total candidates that the party is likely to field in the 70-member Assembly, six are Muslims, five women, five Sikhs, one Uttarakhandi and one Purvanchali. Many in the Congress feel that the party has dropped some of its local leaders who had been very active at the grass roots level. For instance, in Karawal Nagar, the Congress has nominated Satanpal Dyma who had contested as an Independent candidate in the last Assembly elections. Dyma had secured 19,362 votes against Beg Raj Singh of the Congress, who had polled 20,950 votes. The seat was eventually won by BJP’s Mohan Singh Bisht by a margin of about 3,000 votes against AAP’s Kapil Mishra.
In the Palam constituency, the Congress has fielded Madan Mohan Dass, who had contested twice against the party candidates in the last two Assembly elections. Dass, who had contested on the BSP ticket, had secured 24,862 votes against Congress candidate Vinay Mishra, who polled 19,531 votes, in the last Assembly. He got 21,014 votes against Congress candidate Mahender Yadav, who polled 28,119 votes in 2008 elections. In both the elections, the seat was won by BJP’s Dharam Dev Solanki.
Outgoing Independent candidate Rambir Shokeen’s wife, Rita, who is a municipal councillor, is the party candidate from Mundka. Shokeen had secured 52,564 votes against BJP’s Azad Singh, who got 45,430 votes. AAP candidate Krishan Kumar stood third by securing 23,872 votes. Shokeen has recently joined Congress party.
Five-time MlA Shoaib Iqbal, who had been defeating the Congress candidates since 1993, has been given the party ticket from Matia Mahal. Iqbal had won the seat against Congress candidate Mirza Javed Ali by a margin of about 2,500 votes in the last Assembly polls. Iqbal has recently joined Congress party.
In Krishna Nagar, the Congress has fielded Independent municipal councillor Bansi lal. The party has chosen Bansi lal over Dr Vinod Kumar Monga, who had bagged 26,072 votes against BJP’s Dr Harsh Vardhan, who won the seat by polling 69,222 votes. Again in Mehrauli, the Congress has fielded Satbir Singh, who had contested against the party as an Independent candidate in 2008 State elections.