Constituency Watch - East Delhi: AAP, BJP gear up for intense contest in urban heartland
Samad Hoque
New Delhi, March 31
One of the largest and most densely populated Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi, out of the seven, is the east Delhi constituency, which is likely to witness an intense electoral battle between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Established in 1966, this constituency is situated along the eastern bank of the Yamuna river. Since its inception, it has oscillated between the Congress and the BJP. Over the years, political heavyweights like Sheila Dikshit, her son Sandeep Dikshit and HKL Bhagat have left a significant imprint on Delhi’s political landscape by representing this constituency.
This constituency is predominantly urban and comprises densely populated areas such as Seelampur, Shahdara, Gandhi Nagar and Preet Vihar. In terms of demographics, around 80 per cent of the population is Hindu, while Muslims constitute about 15 per cent. Additionally, there is a substantial Scheduled Caste (SC) community, accounting for 15.45 per cent of the population.
Given its demographic diversity and historical political significance, the electoral contest in the east Delhi constituency is poised to be closely watched and fiercely contested.
In this Lok Sabha election, the AAP has nominated a SC candidate, Kuldeep Kumar, to contest from a general seat in this constituency. Kumar, who currently serves as a legislator in the Delhi Assembly representing the Kondli seat, is expected to appeal to SC voters in the constituency.
Additionally, the recent arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has added a layer of uncertainty to the party’s prospects, potentially affecting voter sentiments.
Despite AAP’s efforts to mobilise SC votes and capitalise on political developments, east Delhi has historically reflected national political trends and often served as a barometer for shifts in central governance. In the past two elections, the BJP has dominated all seven seats in Delhi, securing comfortable victories in the east Delhi constituency as well.
In the 2014 elections, the AAP, born out of the India Against Corruption (IAC) movement, put up a strong fight against the BJP in the east Delhi constituency. However, its candidate Rajmohan Gandhi finished second, trailing by 1.8 lakh votes behind BJP’s Mahesh Girri, while Sandeep Dikshit from the Congress secured the third position with two lakh votes.
In 2019, Gautam Gambhir, in his first foray into electoral politics, won by an impressive margin of 6.9 lakh votes. Arvinder Singh Lovely of the Congress secured the second position with three lakh votes, followed by AAP’s Atishi in third place with 2.19 lakh votes. However, on March 2, Gambhir expressed his desire to be relieved from his political responsibilities, signalling a potential shift in the constituency’s political landscape.
Noteworthy candidates from the Congress include HKL Bhagat, who achieved significant success with wins in 1971, 1980, 1984 and 1989. Sandeep also won two consecutive terms in 2004 and 2009. From the BJP, Baikunth Lal Sharma won two terms in 1991 and 1996, while Lal Bihari Tiwari won a bypoll in 1997 and subsequently secured victories in 1998 and 1999.
Kumar, a dynamic youth leader, brings a wealth of experience to his candidacy, having previously served as the youngest corporator in the MCD and securing a victory from the Kondli Assembly constituency in 2020. His nomination reflects AAP’s strategic move to leverage the evolving dynamics in east Delhi and potentially challenge the traditional dominance of the BJP and Congress in the area.
On the BJP side, Harsh Malhotra emerges as a formidable contender for the seat. He currently holds the position of one of the three general secretaries of the Delhi BJP unit. Malhotra’s political journey began in 2012 when he was elected as a councillor from the Welcome ward. In 2015, he ascended to the role of Mayor of the erstwhile East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC). During his tenure as Mayor, Malhotra also served as the Chairman of the Education Committee of EDMC for three years. Hailing from the Punjabi community, Malhotra boasts a strong presence in the constituency. Furthermore, he runs an NGO named ‘Dadhichi Deh Dan Samiti’, dedicated to organ donation. Malhotra holds a degree in botany and law from Delhi University.
With both candidates bringing distinct strengths and backgrounds to the table, the electoral contest in East Delhi promises to be closely contested, with each party vying to secure the support of the electorate.
Constituency has oscillated between Congress and BJP since inception
- Established in 1966, this constituency is situated along the eastern bank of the Yamuna river
- Since its inception, it has oscillated between the Congress and the BJP
- Over the years, political heavyweights like Sheila Dikshit, her son Sandeep Dikshit and HKL Bhagat have left a significant imprint on Delhi’s political landscape by representing this constituency.
- This constituency is predominantly urban and comprises densely populated areas such as Seelampur, Shahdara, Gandhi Nagar and Preet Vihar.
