The euphoria created by a possible BJP heavyweight candidate to take on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejrwal from New Delhi seat was subdued after the latter fielded a little known Sunil Yadav. Congress too did not fare better as the grand old party fielded Romesh Sabharwal, a low key functionary of the party against Kejriwal.
New Delhi Assembly constituency that had sent two Chief Ministers, is again in the news as the AAP national convener has been pitted against lesser opponents. The moment BJP announced Sunil Yadav, the former Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM)'s Delhi president, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP leaders went to the town for BJP giving a 'walk over' to Kejriwal.
Interestingly, the fight in the constituency will be based on the nature of its voters including, the Central Government employees who are against the free water and electricity. According to Election Commission of India -Delhi wing, New Delhi has about 88,225 eligible voters in New Delhi constituency.
On the one hand, Kejriwal is a hugely popular face and claims to have contributed the upliftment of middle and lower middle class people. However, scenario in New Delhi Assembly constituency does not have a single Mohalla clinic and faulty streetlights. The grouse of the voters is borne out of the fact that Kejriwal has been doling out freebies to the people all over Delhi and they pay taxes. Central Government employees residing in Pandara Road, Khan Market, Mandir Marg and few other areas of New Delhi Municipal Council are miffed with Kejriwal over the issue.
Yadav who is new face in BJP but may give a tough fight to Kejriwal because he is a youth leader and having history with Delhi University Student Union (DUSU) while Sabharwal, the congress leader is gaining popularity by terming Kejriwal a 'British' and an outsider in Delhi politics.
The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), which is popular among the traders of Khan Market and other aligned markets in New Delhi areas, may turn the AAP's episode as BJP leader and President of Delhi unit of the party had taken a firm stand for the trader by breaking a seal of Supreme Court committee - Environment Protection Control Authority (EPCA) for the right of traders.
While CGHS hospitals in Delhi's central government colonies are becoming dull with low footfall, Central government employees seek other alternatives with coining the idea of Mohalla Clinic however disappointed because they feel isolated and deprived of developments of AAP.
"Where are free water and electricity, where are clinics and job assurances for the employees of central government.. Why they feel left out in their own state," said Romesh, congress candidate assuring more tickets to congress and hoping this election will be a rise for the Indian National Congress (INC) which has become flaccid after Dixit government.
Pitching for the rights of Central government employees, the congress leader said Kejriwal always accuse the employees and termed them corrupt.
"Kejriwal is far away from the reality as these employees work day and night, sitting in the council office and doing nothing for the employees and distributing tax payers' money for the image building of his party.. how he can expect this people vote for him," he said.
New Delhi constituency was formed in 2008 and has given many Chief Ministers to the national Capital of India while the major part of constituency fell under the Gole Market from where former Chief Minister Shiela Dixit contested the election.
Interestingly, in previous assembly elections - 2015, AAP leader Kejriwal won with won with 57, 213 votes while BJP's Nupur Sharma managed to get nearly half with voting percentage 28.81 percent with 25,630 votes while Congress's Kiran Walia was on third number in triangular fight with vote share percentage only 16.86 percent only in 2008 when AAP was not in fight Congress and BJP witnessed a straight fight while former Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit gained 39,778 votes with 52.20 vote shares however BJP was also good in number with its candidate Vijay Jolly and voting percentage 33.85 per cent.
