AAP leader Durgesh Pathak. (File)As the race intensifies for the Rajinder Nagar bypoll scheduled for June 23, the BJP Delhi unit has interviewed 15 people as part of its process to select a candidate. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has meanwhile started a jan samvad yatra in the locality.
The seat fell vacant after area MLA Raghav Chadha was nominated by the AAP to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab.
The BJP leaders who were interviewed for Rajinder Nagar seat the include former MLA from the area R P Singh, former state general secretary Rajesh Bhatia, state vice-president Rajan Tiwari, spokesperson Harish Khurana, Purvanchal morcha leader Sonia Sinha, district general secretary Suresh Gupta, standing committee chairperson Chail Bihari Goswami, and district president Rajesh Goel. Sources said that besides these candidates, former MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa has also shown interest in the constituency.
The interviews were conducted by national vice-president Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda, Delhi unit president Adesh Gupta, and general secretary organisation of Delhi Siddharthan.
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Candidates were asked to speak about the qualities they possess that make them suitable for the constituency, and the roadmap they have to secure the party’s win, said a senior BJP leader. The names have been sent to the central leadership and a final decision will be taken after consultation with the national leadership, including party president J P Nadda, it is learnt.
The names are expected to be declared later this week or next week, said a source.
The AAP has, meanwhile, declared Durgesh Pathak as its candidate and initiated jan samvad programmes and pad yatras in the area. Pathak is also the AAP’s MCD poll in-charge, though elections to the civic body have been delayed after it was unified.
“The jan samvad has been held at Pandav Nagar, Karol Bagh, Rajinder Nagar, and Old Rajinder Nagar. Residents were welcoming the Aam Aadmi Party with full enthusiasm and blessing us. People have expressed their desire to vote for a candidate of the ruling party (in Delhi) to accelerate development work in the area,” said Pathak.
“I go to different areas of Rajinder Nagar and conduct public dialogue, listen to their problems and talk about their choices. The Bharatiya Janata Party has crossed all limits of corruption in Delhi through the MCD,” he alleged.
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BJP Delhi unit chief Adesh Gupta countered the allegation by saying that before coming to power Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal spoke about taking strict action against the tanker mafia, but it still functions openly in the area. Rampant corruption in the Delhi Jal Board has made life difficult for people living in the city, and slum dwellers aren’t getting proper water, added Gupta.
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