Mohan Singh Bisht, a five-time MLA, could have upset the BJP’s apple cart this Delhi election. The party sensed it too.
Within hours of dropping his name from Karawal Nagar and Mr. Bisht announcing he would contest as an Independent, the BJP named him on January 12 as a candidate but from a different seat – Mustafabad.
After his name was dropped, Mr. Bisht had issued a warning to his party saying, “You have challenged the samaj [Uttarakhand community], not Mohan Singh Bisht. The BJP will lose at least 8-10 seats because of this decision, including Karawal Nagar, Burari, Mustafabad and Gokalpuri.”
Later, he said, “I have assured them [BJP] that I will contest from Mustafabad and win the seat for the party.” The BJP has fielded former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Kapil Mishra from Karawal Nagar.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Bisht highlighted his work for the people of Karawal Nagar over five terms as a legislator.
“In 1998, Karawal Nagar was just a jungle, with people living in constant fear of goondas and dacoits,” he said while recalling his first stint as MLA.
“People wouldn’t leave their houses after 6 p.m. Those returning from work were often robbed,” the BJP leader said, adding that he focused on tackling the crime rate and ensuring basic facilities like water, electricity, and housing.
Since 1998, Mr. Bisht has never been defeated in Karawal Nagar, except once – in 2015, incidentally by Mr. Mishra, then with AAP.
In 2020, he defeated prominent AAP leader Durgesh Pathak by a margin of over 12,000 votes.
This time, though contesting from Mustafabad, the Assembly segment just adjacent to home turf Karawal Nagar, Mr. Bisht seems equally charged.
“My focus now is on ensuring solar power for all houses, implementing all Central government schemes, and installing water treatment plants,” he said.
2020 riots
Both Karawal Nagar and Mustafabad were marred by the 2020 north-east Delhi communal riots. “I saw the bodies of children lying on roads, bodies floating in drains, people getting wounded. I can never forget the trauma that people endured,” said Mr. Bisht.
He said life is limping back to normalcy and hoped such violence never occurs in future.
Stating that he, too, was a victim of riots, Mr. Bisht said, “In 1984, during the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination, my family was forced to flee Shastri Nagar. I was a teenager then, but I still remember houses and shops set on fire.”
Uttarakhand roots
According to the 2011 census, of the 1.67 crore Delhi’s population, over 72 lakh were migrants. “We [migrants] made this city our home, and it belongs to every migrant. They deserve better facilities,” said Mr. Bisht, who hails from Uttarakhand.
Born in Ajoli Talli village in the State’s Almora district, he said a flood upended his family’s life and forced them to come to Shastri Nagar in late 60s. He started working at an automobile repair shop, earning ₹300 as his first salary. “I saw my father selling my mom’s jewellery. I know how to survive,” Mr. Bisht added.
Quadrangular tie
Mustafabad constituency is likely to face a four-cornered contest. AAP has fielded Adil Ahmad Khan, a former journalist and grassroots-level worker, while the Congress has chosen Ali Mehdi, the vice president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen has nominated Tahir Hussain, a former AAP councillor, as its candidate.
According to the Election Commission, there are over 2.69 lakh registered voters in Mustafabad, of which 1.4 lakh are male and 12.16 lakh are female. As per the 2011 census, the constituency has a 39.5% Muslim population.
Published - January 19, 2025 01:39 am IST
