After facing humiliating defeats in the lok Sabha and Assembly elections, Delhi Congress left no stone unturned to ensure a surge in vote share in the bypolls.
For the first time, the party gave responsibility of each polling booth to its councillors, former MlAs, parliamentarians and district presidents to ensure that the party is able to rope in all its resources to improve its vote share. Senior leaders like Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mahabal Mishra, Raj Babbar, Digvijay Singh campaigned for the party candidates. This was the first time that the party fielded senior leaders for campaign for the municipal polls.
Source in the Delhi Congress said the party leadership had made it clear to its local leaders that the bypolls are not only relevant for their own political survival, but also they are going to set tone for the future Assembly polls in other States.
The municipal elections are scheduled for all the 272 wards in the city in 2017. “The outcome of the bypolls is going to be politically significant for the survival of one and all local Congress leaders,” sources said.
The Congress and the BJP faced the AAP challenge for the first time in the municipal contest. If the two national parties are unable to improve their vote share, it will be a clear indication that the AAP is going to continue its domination in the Delhi politics. And if the AAP is able to repeat its Assembly poll performance in the municipal bypolls, it is definitely going to boost its chances in the Assembly elections in other States, including Punjab.
In all Assembly elections, the Congress was not able to secure even 20 per cent votes in any of the 13 municipal wards. While the party recorded its highest vote share of 17 per cent in the Ballimaran municipal ward, it got just 2.89 per cent votes in the Shalimar Bagh North ward.
On the other hand, the saffron brigade was able to secure a maximum of 39.83 per cent votes in Khichripur ward and a lowest of 21.18 per cent in Ballimaran. But the newbie AAP had stunned one and all by logging the maximum 70.84 per cent votes in Tehkhand ward and a lowest of 45.34 per cent in Khichripur.
Political pundits believe that the bypolls would be a triangular fight in 11 wards and direct contest between the Congress and the BJP in Qumuruddin Nagar and Shalimar Bagh North wards. But insiders in the Congress think that the party will have an edge over its rivals in Qumuruddin Nagar, Shalimar Bagh North, Ballimaran, Munirka and Jhilmil wards.
Contrary to this, a local BJP leader said the party was hopeful of making a clean sweep in Vikas Nagar, Nawada, Matiala and Khichripur wards.
While a few said the AAP was easily going to win Wazirpur, Nanakpura and Tehkhand wards.