BJP hopes to make the election about bahari versus local.The campaign for the Rajinder Nagar bypoll is gathering pace, and ferocity, with the top leadership of both the BJP and AAP running campaigns in the constituency, poaching local leaders and launching sharp attacks on each other. The seat fell vacant after erstwhile MLA Raghav Chadha was nominated by the AAP to Rajya Sabha.
In the past one week, BJP MPs including UP’s Deputy Chief Minister Brijesh Pathak, Manoj Tiwari, Gautam Gambhir and Hans Raj Hans have campaigned in the area for the party’s candidate Rajesh Bhatia. From the AAP, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and minister Gopal Rai are among those who have hit the streets to gather support for their candidate Durgesh Pathak.
The BJP also claims to have poached AAP leader Mamta Kochar, former DCPCR member Sonia Sachdeva and former MLA Vijender Garg’s brother Vinod Garg.
Similarly, AAP claims to have dented the Congress local unit, with Karol Bagh Congress Committee vice-president Ravi Naikar and Surender Sawariya, who was president of the SC/ST Cell of Rajinder Nagar, joining the party.
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The BJP also hopes to make the election about bahari (outsider) versus local, as Pathak had earlier contested from Karawal Nagar. Posters have come up with slogans such as ‘Sthaniya voter chunega sthaniya vidhayak (local voter will choose local MLA)’. MP Tiwari said, “People here will support a local who understands their problems and has been with them in the past, and not someone who has just come to become an MLA.”
The AAP, on the other hand, is attempting to project the BJP as the weaker party. Gopal Rai, while addressing a gathering on Monday at Sai Chowk in Dasghara village, claimed that the BJP knew it won’t win, which is why it fielded the current candidate.
“If BJP had not sensed a massive defeat through its survey, (Delhi BJP chief) Adesh Gupta would have been their candidate. BJP’s arrogance is making them buy votes.”
Hoping to make it a three-way contest, the Congress is also contesting the seat. Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar said people in the capital are fed up with the misrule of the Arvind Kejriwal government as well as the BJP, and will give chances to his party’s candidate, Prem Lata. He said the AAP is not bothered about shortage of drinking water, lack of security for people, non-availability of ration, non-payment of pension and a halt on development, and instead cares more about what’s happening in other states.
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