Rakhi Birla, the former Delhi Minister and firebrand face of Aam Aadmi Party in the national Capital is faced with a three-cornered contest with the BJP’s late entrant Udit Raj and Krishna Tirath of the Congress. Rakhi is facing opposition from people within her Assembly constituency. Residents of Mangolpuri, which she represents in Delhi Assembly, accused her of being inaccessible, indifferent and immature. The locals claimed that the condition of the region has gradually deteriorated since Birla elected MlA last year.
The people, who claimed have supported Rakhi Birla in Assembly elections last year, say that they have never seen the MlA visiting the area and making any effort to fulfil the promises made by AAP. “She had never shown her interest in solving civic problems and rooting out corruption from the area. There has been massive and frequent power cuts and water crisis in the area despite promising to solve them,” Chhote lal, a local trader of Mangolpuri area.
People also said that they had voted in favour AAP in last Assembly elections considering the tall promises made by Arvind Kejriwal and its candidate but soon after electing as MlA, she distanced herself from aam aadmi (common man) of the area. “Once she became the Minister in Delhi Government she stopped visiting the constituency and became incommunicado. She neither made visit nor was willing to discuss the promises that she and her party had made, she was found unapproachable all the time. Even she did not respond to the letters written by locals regarding various problems,” he added.
“We gave wholehearted support and ensured the victory of Rakhi Birla last time but she turned her back after winning the Mangolpuri seat. Her assurance to work for common man was just eyewash and the MlA has been exposed completely as she is not paying heed to the needs of the common man. Her predecessor was easy available and was making efforts to solve our problems. The voters are feeling cheated and are eager to teach her a khas lesson this time,” said Hariom Shastri, an elderly person living in the area.