Numbers game: Parties attempt to reclaim traditional vote bank
25 March 2014 5:41 AM IST
In the last assembly polls, Congress faced humiliating defeats in constituencies reserved for Scheduled Caste members. Due to these losses, the city Congress is making desperate efforts to woo leaders from the Balmiki and Safai Karamchari communities.
Congress is ready to welcome back leaders like Charan Singh Kandera. The party’s decision came following the request of union minister, Krishna Tirath, who is also the party’s candidate from North-West Delhi constituency.
‘The Balmiki Samaj is happy with Kandera’s decision to rejoin the Congress party. This is the only party which thinks about betterment of the Scheduled Caste community,’ said Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Arvinder Singh Lovely.
Delhi assembly has 12 seats out of 70 reserved for Scheduled Caste members. In 2008 assembly Congress had won almost 9 seats out of 12. However in 2013 the party won only one seat, Sultanpur Majra.
Kandera, who is a two- time former MLA from Congress party, said, ‘In the last Assembly elections some people were attracted to the ‘Jhadu’ (AAP’s election symbol). But now in the coming parliamentary elections I will request all my community members and Sweeper’s Union to support the Congress party. There were some misunderstandings in last elections, which created a rift between me and the party. However now everything is fine.’
It is understood that Tirath’s move to induct the expelled leader will attract Balmiki voters, who make up significant numbers in the North-West constituency.
Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate and former Delhi minister Rakhi Birla, who is also from the Balmiki community, is also considered as a strong candidate. Moreover, thousands of contractual sweepers working with municipal corporations and Delhi government also reside in the North-West constituency.
The BJP has fielded Dalit leader Udit Raj from the area. Meanwhile, independent councillor from Kasturba Nagar ward Kusumlata also joined the Congress party. After her entry, the total number of Congress councillors in Delhi has reached 75. She was inducted on the reference of New Delhi MP and Congress candidate Ajay Maken.
‘Maken is like an elder brother for me. Despite being an independent councillor, he never halted any development work in my area. I have joined the Congress party to help it win New Delhi constituency,’ she said.
Congress is ready to welcome back leaders like Charan Singh Kandera. The party’s decision came following the request of union minister, Krishna Tirath, who is also the party’s candidate from North-West Delhi constituency.
‘The Balmiki Samaj is happy with Kandera’s decision to rejoin the Congress party. This is the only party which thinks about betterment of the Scheduled Caste community,’ said Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Arvinder Singh Lovely.
Delhi assembly has 12 seats out of 70 reserved for Scheduled Caste members. In 2008 assembly Congress had won almost 9 seats out of 12. However in 2013 the party won only one seat, Sultanpur Majra.
Kandera, who is a two- time former MLA from Congress party, said, ‘In the last Assembly elections some people were attracted to the ‘Jhadu’ (AAP’s election symbol). But now in the coming parliamentary elections I will request all my community members and Sweeper’s Union to support the Congress party. There were some misunderstandings in last elections, which created a rift between me and the party. However now everything is fine.’
It is understood that Tirath’s move to induct the expelled leader will attract Balmiki voters, who make up significant numbers in the North-West constituency.
Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate and former Delhi minister Rakhi Birla, who is also from the Balmiki community, is also considered as a strong candidate. Moreover, thousands of contractual sweepers working with municipal corporations and Delhi government also reside in the North-West constituency.
The BJP has fielded Dalit leader Udit Raj from the area. Meanwhile, independent councillor from Kasturba Nagar ward Kusumlata also joined the Congress party. After her entry, the total number of Congress councillors in Delhi has reached 75. She was inducted on the reference of New Delhi MP and Congress candidate Ajay Maken.
‘Maken is like an elder brother for me. Despite being an independent councillor, he never halted any development work in my area. I have joined the Congress party to help it win New Delhi constituency,’ she said.
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