Rural Delhi votes amid unmet development needs

With a baggage of issues in mind, voters in the Capital's rural belt thronged the polling stations in their respective areas to exercise their franchise on Wednesday.

In comparison with the upscale areas, the rural belt had better voter turnout.

In the current Delhi Assembly elections, the villages spanning South Delhi, West Delhi, and outer parts of the city, which hold substantial electoral weight in nearly 30 to 31 assembly constituencies, are being considered as the deciding factor of the poll outcome.

Notably, Delhi has more than 360 under-developed villages in it which have received cursory attention compared to urban areas. As per locals, they are confined in cramped and unhealthy pockets by the lal dora (red line) which has reduced them to living in inhuman conditions lacking basic civic services such as water, power, healthcare and good education. What is even more alarming is that these villages are not under any ward or rural panchayat, which leaves the fate of the villagers in a pitiful state.

Interestingly, in what came as a significant political development just a week ahead of the elections, representatives of 360 villages of Delhi declared their support for the BJP, citing dissatisfaction with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s governance in rural areas.

Surender Solanki, head of the influential Palam Khap, while speaking to The Tribune, declared that their collective support is for the BJP, blaming the AAP-led Delhi government for failing to address the pressing concerns of village communities.

"I urge all voters to go out in large numbers and vote for change. The AAP government did nothing for the villages of Delhi and only made false promises. This time, we have decided to bring the BJP to power with a massive majority," he said.

Another resident of Bawana village, Yogesh Singh, questioned the present regime over the lack of development in their area. "The government took our land in the name of urbanisation, but where is the development? We have no proper sewage, roads, or healthcare. We are only remembered during elections. My vote is for the BJP candidate, hopefully they will not neglect us and if they do, we will search for a candidate who is our own," he said.

Dayanand (88), a resident of Ber Sarai, echoed similar concerns. "There has been no development in the last 10 years even after selecting the AAP candidate twice. Despite several meetings and requests, nothing changed. I have decided to vote for a candidate who will bring real development," he said.

Akhil Bharatiya Sarv Jat Mahasabha chief Rajendra Panwar, who is a resident of Ber Sarai, stressed the need for employment and better infrastructure. "We need jobs and proper urbanisation of our villages. Our support has gone to a candidate who can bring that change," he added, indicating a shift away from the AAP.