In Kalkaji, the voters are quite clear what they want their leaders to deliver — electricity rate concessions and better water supply in the DDA areas. And many of them seem to be leaning towards the Aam Aadmi Party led by Arvind Kejriwal.
Naubhat Singh, a chholewala, said, “only Kejriwal” can be an answer to their problems.
“We are really tired of the police troubling us. When Kejriwal was in power, it was not like this. The policewallah did not trouble us. He will also address the problems of electricity and water once he is elected.”
During the last Assembly elections, Harmeet Singh of the BJP had defeated the AAP candidate Dharambir Singh by a margin of 2,044 votes. This time, BJP candidate Singh has been pitted against AAP’s Avtar Singh.
The BJP candidate who is awaiting permission to start his campaign officially is engaging in meetings in small groups to know about “people’s issues”, his close associate said.
“He is conducting public meetings in groups. Once we get the official permission, the padyatras will start. He has won the last elections and even this time the public support is with him,” said his associate.
A tea vendor, Sundarlal, “My support goes to the BJP. I think the previous candidate has worked well. My family members will also vote for him. Though I am originally from Uttarakhand, I have a voter identification card here.”
In Govindpuri and Kalkaji DDA areas, voters voiced several concerns.
“Water supply is a regular problem in our area. The winning candidates only focus on the high-profile areas in the constituency. In the DDA area, there are times when we do not have water supply for five days at a stretch. The electricity bills also do not reflect the right usage,” said Meenakshi, a homemaker in Kalkaji DDA flats.
With Kejriwal coming in, “electricity concessions” are assured, people feel.
“Kejriwal is the leader of people like us. How will we manage without a party like AAP to voice our concerns? Once he is the Chief Minister, the electricity bills will come down. He will also effectively handle the police,” said Mithilesh.
Mithilesh runs a fast-food stall in Kalkaji. A resident of Govindpuri in the constituency, he and his two brothers will vote for AAP. “My brothers also believe AAP can bring a change.”
In the posher parts of the constituency, residents said their NRI relatives have come here to support Kejriwal.
“My nephew along with his friend has come from Canada in order to support the AAP,” said Manjit Radhawa. “AAP is a revolution. I believe it has learnt from its mistakes. However, I am still divided between voting for AAP and the BJP,” he said.
Former Delhi Congress chief and the party’s candidate from the constituency, Subhash Chopra, however, feels the public will reinstate its faith in the party.
“During my tenure as an MLA, there was an addition of 3,000 JJ cluster flats, which has been a major success. The new MLA in the area has not utilised the public funds. Only 30 per cent of the funds have been used for the welfare of the public. The works have stopped at where we left it,” said Chopra.
“People have trusted Kejriwal and been fooled too. We are the only option.”