In Delhi, Punjab AAP leaders turn on the heat
There seems to be no political fence-sitters in the New Delhi Assembly segment, where Aam Aadmi Party national convener and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is locked in a contest with BJP’s Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma and Congress’ Sandeep Dikshit.
Similar is the case in Jangpura, a constituency from where former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia chose to contest, instead of Patparganj, this time. He is locked in a direct fight with BJP’s Tarvinder Singh Marwah.
While candidates mostly go door-to-door to seek support, the political messaging of the parties — be it development works done by AAP or the BJP’s “sheesh mahal” jibe at Kejriwal — is relying on the use of four-wheelers equipped with audio-visual aids, and stationed at key locations.
In New Delhi, the BJP has stationed a van fitted with a model of the CM House, described as “sheesh mahal” by the party, to highlight the splurge on its revamp when Kejriwal was the Delhi CM. Meanwhile, a television screen on an AAP van parked near the Kali Mandir in the constituency showed a video on Kejriwal’s “guarantees” to voters.
The BJP has brought in its bigwigs like Home Minister Amit Shah and several of its Chief Ministers, including Yogi Adityanath, for campaigning. Ruling AAP too has spiced up the contest by the splattering of “Punjabi tadka” in its canvassing by roping in its Punjab ministers and MPs, including cricketer-turned politician Harbhajan Singh, who was popularly called “Turbanator” for his bowling skills.
“The maximum focus of the BJP seems to be on the three seats of New Delhi, Jangpura and Kalkaji. They are trying to give a tough fight to our three big leaders ( Kejriwal in New Delhi, Sisodia in Jangpura and Delhi CM Atishi in Kalkaji), but AAP is a time-tested party and our pro-people initiatives will help us win hands down,” says Aman Arora, president of AAP’s Punjab unit.
AAP’s Punjab unit working president Amansher Singh Sherry Kalsi agrees with him. Kalsi is leading 12 strategy teams for Kejriwal’s constituency.
“They (BJP) may be good at strategising, but we are aggressive campaigners and our vote share is intact, thanks to the BJP-led Centre that put our top leaders in jail. This has consolidated our vote base against the BJP’s oppression,” he says.
While Kalsi is helping the party in New Delhi, Punjab Education Minister Harjot Bains is giving his all to boost the campaign of Sisodia in Jangpura.
In Kalkaji, Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh held road shows for CM Atishi at Giri Nagar this week. Almost all Punjab ministers are stationed here and supporting the party’s door-to-door campaign. Guided by AAP workers, they talk of replicating Delhi’s education and health models in Punjab.
They warn residents against voting for the BJP, which they say would discontinue free power and health care, besides ignoring quality education, if voted to power.
‘Won’t have much impact’
However, BJP’s Verma says the campaigning by the Punjab leaders won’t have much impact on the poll results. “Punjab politicians do not understand sensitivities of Delhi voters, who do not like aggression. They may end up causing more harm than good,” chuckles Verma
“Kejriwal is hiding behind these young Punjabi men, who don’t move an inch without Punjab Police personnel. His saga of corruption stands exposed and people here want development over sops,” he tells The Tribune while receiving garlands from residents of Khandelwal Jain Society as he walks in the colony with a handful of supporters.
Rajiv Rathi, co-incharge of the BJP election office at Gol Market in New Delhi, narrates stray incidents where the AAP’s Punjab team got into verbal duels with women voters.
In Jangpura, septuagenarian Sohan Singh, whose parents had shifted from Pakistan to Delhi at the time of Partition, says though he is impressed with AAP’s Sisodia and his “gentle” demeanour, many Sikh voters are sympathising with BJP’s Sikh candidate Tarvinder Singh Marwah, as he had lost three previous elections.
It is to counter this narrative that minister Harjot Bains is campaigning here. Even AAP’s Haryana-based leader Raj Kaur Gill is concentrating on wooing Sikh women voters.
Asked what Punjab government would gain if the party retains power in the Capital, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema said, “This win will help the party’s central leadership in focusing on better governance in Punjab and expand our base later in Bihar and Gujarat,” he said after campaigning aggressively in Krishna Nagar.
Car seized in Delhi not ours: Punjab Govt
Chandigarh: Hours after the Delhi Police claimed to have seized Rs 8 lakh in cash, some liquor bottles, and AAP pamphlets from a car bearing a Punjab registration number, insinuating that these were meant for use in the elections, the Punjab Government stated that neither the car was owned nor hired by it. The vehicle allegedly bore a sticker of “Punjab Sarkar”. — TNS
