Constituency Watch Northwest: Key bastion for marginalised communities faces several challenges
Anshita Mehra
New Delhi, April 8
As the countdown to the 18th Lok Sabha elections begins, the political arena in the Capital is charged with anticipation, setting the stage for a fierce electoral showdown between rival political factions. Departing from the traditional three-way contest, this electoral season witnesses a tightening grip with a two-way race between the BJP and the INDIA bloc, comprising the Congress and AAP.
Of the seven LS constituencies in Delhi, the AAP is set to contest four seats, while the Congress has staked claim on three, including the coveted northwest Delhi constituency, reserved for Scheduled Castes candidates. Established in 2008 following the recommendations of the delimitation commission, northwest Delhi assumes significance as a bastion for representing the interests of marginalised communities within the parliamentary framework.
Comprises 10 Assembly segments
- The constituency boasts a commendable literacy rate of 75.45 per cent, housing a formidable voter base numbering 24,72,910
- Comprising 10 Assembly segments, the demographic landscape is shaped by the formidable presence of SCs, constituting 18.51 per cent of the populace
Critical issues
- Deficient metro connectivity
- Rampant congestion
- Water and power scarcities
- Plight of unauthorised colonies
The area is plagued by overflowing water from sewers and despite complaints, no one takes note of it. — Kapil, a resident of Narela
Spanning across swathes of north Delhi, northwest Delhi and west Delhi districts, the constituency boasts a commendable literacy rate of 75.45 per cent, housing a formidable voter base numbering 24,72,910. Comprising 10 Assembly segments, including Narela, Badli, Rithala, Bawana, Mundka, Kirari, Sultanpur Majra, Nangloi, Mangol Puri and Rohini, the demographic landscape is shaped by the formidable presence of SCs, constituting 18.51 per cent of the populace.
Despite its electoral significance, northwest Delhi grapples with a plethora of pressing challenges, ranging from sanitation woes to a scarcity of employment opportunities, the proliferation of unauthorised colonies, law enforcement dilemmas and the burgeoning influx of migrant populations.
The constituency’s socio-economic fabric is interwoven with a diverse tapestry of residents, encompassing original inhabitants reliant on agrarian pursuits, migrant labourers seeking livelihoods and affluent urban dwellers dwelling in opulent housing enclaves.
Critical issues such as deficient metro connectivity, rampant congestion, water and power scarcities and the plight of unauthorised colonies underscore the pressing need for comprehensive remedial action. Residents, like Kapil from Narela, lament the persistent apathy towards addressing grievances, stating, “The area is plagued with water overflowing from sewers and despite complaints, no one takes note of it.”
In the throes of electoral fervour, the BJP has nominated Yogendra Chandolia as its standard-bearer, supplanting the incumbent MP Hans Raj Hans, while the Congress remains silent on its choice of candidate. Chandolia, unfurling his ambitious 100-day roadmap, pledges to prioritise critical infrastructure projects such as the Bawana-Narela Metro phase and the establishment of a sports university in Ghevra. Furthermore, he commits to expeditiously redressing water drainage anomalies in Kirari.
Reflecting on past electoral battles, northwest Delhi has witnessed titanic struggles at the ballot box. In the 2019 General Election, BJP stalwart Hans Raj Hans clinched a resounding triumph, securing a staggering margin of 5,53,897 votes, eclipsing the challenge posed by Gugan Singh of AAP. Similarly, in 2014,
BJP luminary Udit Raj emerged victorious over AAP’s Rakhi Birla by a formidable margin of 1,06,802 votes, while in 2009, Congress stalwart Krishna Tirath fortified her hold on the constituency, defeating BJP’s Meera Kanwaria.
With the AAP-Congress alliance marshalling its forces to wrest control from the BJP’s stronghold, the stage is set for a gripping electoral spectacle, wherein the destiny of the constituency and its diverse populace hangs in the balance.
