<p> At the controversy-ridden puppeteers Kathputli Colony in New Delhi constituency, many voters exercised their franchise in support of the anti-rehabilitation campaign</p>.<p>. <br /><br />The two first-time contenders, AAP candidate Ashish Khetan and BJP candidate Meenakshi Lekhi, have used the ongoing protest as a major poll plank against the Congress general secretary and sitting MP Ajay Maken. <br /><br />The Kathputli slum is the first in-situ rehabilitation project of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and many residents in the area have been protesting against their eviction and shifting to a transit camp at Anand Parbat. <br /><br />Near the polling stations, the local community leaders and elderly residents were constantly ensuring that locals vote for their ‘chosen’ candidate. <br /><br />And despite the Election Commission guideline to prevent gathering of crowd within the 200-metre radius of polling stations, one of the police officers on election duty said, “It is very difficult to prevent people from gathering in slum areas.”<br /><br />“It is going good. There is strong anti-Congress sentiment. BJP and AAP are doing well. But BJP has a lead,” said Dilip Bhatt, a local community leader. He said there are nearly 15,000 voters in the area. <br /><br />Going by the December Delhi Assembly elections, the area is a BJP stronghold. <br />But AAP candidate Ashish Khetan seems to have made a successful dent by taking on Maken. <br /><br />He alleged that under Maken’s tenure as the Union Urban Development Minister, the DDA had granted a contract to Raheja Developers for redeveloping the colony on a public-private partnership basis. <br /><br />Later, Lekhi had jumped the bandwagon and called for an independent investigation revealing the alleged involvement of Maken in the land deal. <br /><br />AAP worker Ramjan Ali said, “We have stood behind the locals for a long time. The private developer here is cheating people out of their land.”<br /><br />Away from Kathputli colony, the local residents who have shifted to the transit camp also exercised their franchise. <br /><br />“We were living in deplorable conditions there while the DDA has provided all basic amenities in the transit camp. At Kathputli, even a small drain overflows with the waste of 50 small drains. A lot of people are now playing politics on the resettlement issue by misguiding locals,” said Devidas Gurdea.<br /><br />“I wouldn’t disclose whom we voted for. But we are in support of the government,” he added. <br /></p>
<p> At the controversy-ridden puppeteers Kathputli Colony in New Delhi constituency, many voters exercised their franchise in support of the anti-rehabilitation campaign</p>.<p>. <br /><br />The two first-time contenders, AAP candidate Ashish Khetan and BJP candidate Meenakshi Lekhi, have used the ongoing protest as a major poll plank against the Congress general secretary and sitting MP Ajay Maken. <br /><br />The Kathputli slum is the first in-situ rehabilitation project of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and many residents in the area have been protesting against their eviction and shifting to a transit camp at Anand Parbat. <br /><br />Near the polling stations, the local community leaders and elderly residents were constantly ensuring that locals vote for their ‘chosen’ candidate. <br /><br />And despite the Election Commission guideline to prevent gathering of crowd within the 200-metre radius of polling stations, one of the police officers on election duty said, “It is very difficult to prevent people from gathering in slum areas.”<br /><br />“It is going good. There is strong anti-Congress sentiment. BJP and AAP are doing well. But BJP has a lead,” said Dilip Bhatt, a local community leader. He said there are nearly 15,000 voters in the area. <br /><br />Going by the December Delhi Assembly elections, the area is a BJP stronghold. <br />But AAP candidate Ashish Khetan seems to have made a successful dent by taking on Maken. <br /><br />He alleged that under Maken’s tenure as the Union Urban Development Minister, the DDA had granted a contract to Raheja Developers for redeveloping the colony on a public-private partnership basis. <br /><br />Later, Lekhi had jumped the bandwagon and called for an independent investigation revealing the alleged involvement of Maken in the land deal. <br /><br />AAP worker Ramjan Ali said, “We have stood behind the locals for a long time. The private developer here is cheating people out of their land.”<br /><br />Away from Kathputli colony, the local residents who have shifted to the transit camp also exercised their franchise. <br /><br />“We were living in deplorable conditions there while the DDA has provided all basic amenities in the transit camp. At Kathputli, even a small drain overflows with the waste of 50 small drains. A lot of people are now playing politics on the resettlement issue by misguiding locals,” said Devidas Gurdea.<br /><br />“I wouldn’t disclose whom we voted for. But we are in support of the government,” he added. <br /></p>
