Former Delhi chief minister and AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Thrice triumphant from the New Delhi Assembly seat riding on an anti-corruption wave, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, who is out on bail in a money laundering case, faces tougher prospects in this election with his image of a corruption crusader a little less impressive among residents.
Odds for Kejriwal become narrower considering his seasoned rivals – BJP's Parvesh Singh Verma and Congress' Sandeep Dikshit, both scions of former Delhi chief ministers.
The former MPs would be trying their best dislodge the ex-Delhi chief minister from a seat, which has come to be seen as a matter of prestige to all three.
The constituency, composed of some of the poshest areas of Delhi, is also pockmarked by slums clusters that bear a resemblance to the rest of the city and demand a similar treatment.
Many residents of the constituency believe it would be an open fight this time with hardly any favourites. Some others claim the promised development has failed to come by.
"This time there is a fight between parties. These elections are not completely going in anyone's favour, as every party is trying to match the promises made by others," Monika, a resident and shop owner in Gole Market, said.
Kejriwal, who rose to prominence during the Anna Hazare-led India Against Corruption movement, has represented the constituency for over a decade. His previous victories were secured with significant margins, including a 21,687-vote lead in the 2020 elections.
His core voter base, consisting of lower-middle-class workers, street vendors, auto-rickshaw drivers, etc, still seems largely intact. AAP's welfare schemes, such as free bus services for women, remain popular among voters. The promise of monthly allowances, such as Rs 2,100 for women, has also drawn attention.
An auto driver, Brijlal Prajapati, showed his electricity bill, and said, "My bill is zero. I am paying nothing for electricity, so I am happy with him because he has done something for people like me. Of course, there are some shortcomings too. For instance, the Mohalla Clinics are not working as we expected — there are no medicines available. So yes, there are some gaps, but at least he is trying and working for us."
The BJP candidate, a son of former Delhi chief minister Sahib Singh Verma, is banking on his party's broader appeal, while Dikshit, son of Shiela Dikshit, hopes to swing Congress' fortunes in the capital.
Satish, a resident of Sanjay Basti, suggested that all that's advertised as development may just be a Potemkin village.
"There are many issues like roads. On the surface, things might seem fine, but once you enter the colonies, you get a reality check. It looks better from the outside, but nothing big or new has happened so far. Most of the development we see was done during Sheila Dikshit's tenure, and since then, things have remained the same," he said.
Satish added, "The BJP and Congress seem to be emerging as very strong competitors this time, and even if they don't win, they will significantly cut AAP's vote share."
Many residents were unimpressed with all parties promising cash to women and other free schemes and wished there was more focus on air pollution, law and order, and women's safety.
"This time, the election dynamics are entirely different," said Shashi Pal from Gole Market.
"In a way, it seems like all parties are trying to lure voters with promises of money, almost like a vote-purchasing strategy," he said.
Despite being a VIP seat, the issues plaguing the constituency — pollution, traffic congestion, bad roads, and law and order — are no different than those afflicting other parts of the capital.
For Gulshan Veermani, pollution is the biggest concern.
"We all suffer as the air quality in Delhi has become dangerously toxic, putting public health at risk. The government must take concrete action rather than continuously playing the blame game," he said.
The total electorate in the seat stands at 109,022, with 58,950 male voters and 50,071 female voters.