Because the nationwide capital heads for a high-octane meeting elections, nothing exemplifies the competition greater than the doubtless showdown within the metropolis’s highest profile seat – New Delhi – the place former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal could face the sons of two former Delhi CMs.
Whereas the Congress has already named Sandeep Dikshit, son of three-term Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, because the candidate, and Bharatiya Janata Celebration (BJP) is prone to subject Parvesh Sahib Singh, son of former chief minister Sahib Singh Verma.
“I’ve been requested to arrange to contest from the New Delhi constituency,” Parvesh informed HT on Saturday. He added that the AAP’s “10 years of misrule have introduced Delhi to the brink of smash”, and promised accessibility and responsiveness, vowing to be with residents “24 hours a day in your happiness and sorrow”.
To make sure, the BJP has not but launched its listing of candidates and has not but formally introduced him because the candidate for the seat. Nonetheless, two senior Delhi BJP leaders indicated that Singh, a two-time West Delhi MP, would be the celebration’s contestant from New Delhi.
His father Sahib Singh Verma was Delhi’s fourth chief minister and remained in workplace from February 1996 to October 1998.
Kejriwal is looking for his fourth consecutive time period from the constituency. His debut win over Sheila Dikshit in 2013 by thumping margin of round 25,000 votes marked a seismic shift in Delhi politics and introduced his disruptive entry into electoral politics — notably since Dikshit was a preferred chief who dominated for 3 consecutive phrases between 1998 and 2013 and was credited with the Capital’s infrastructure enhance.
Subsequent victories for Kejriwal in 2015 and 2020 solidified his place within the seat.
After resigning as CM in September and vacating his bungalow in Civil Strains, he shifted to Feroz Shah Highway which can also be beneath the New Delhi constituency, citing the target of staying in his constituency in order to attach with folks higher. “There might be no change. I’ll contest from New Delhi seat,” Kejriwal introduced on Friday.
The Congress, hoping to rebuild its political relevance in Delhi after years within the wilderness, introduced Sandeep Dikshit because the candidate earlier this week. His candidacy provides a private dimension to the race. The 2-time Congress MP, who has been an outspoken Kejriwal critic, will hope to leverage his mom’s repute as he goals to revive the celebration’s reference to the town.
“I thank the Congress management for fielding me from New Delhi meeting seat. The folks of New Delhi and whole Delhi fondly keep in mind the times of Congress authorities and the type of growth that befell in Delhi beneath Sheila Dikshit’s time period as CM. I’ve deliberate a sequence of conferences with folks and celebration employees in New Delhi over the approaching weeks,” stated Dikshit.
Dikshit stated in 1998 and 2003 he was dealing with his mom’s election affairs when she contested from this constituency (then generally known as Gole Market constituency). “I’ve to reconnect with the celebration employees for which I’m holding a variety of conferences,” he stated.
Including to this drama now’s Parvesh, who’s positioning himself as a grassroots chief centered on resolving native points like water shortages, crumbling infrastructure, and sanitation issues.
His marketing campaign will search to capitalise on native grievances whereas presenting himself as a candidate deeply linked to the constituency’s wants.
“On one facet, the sons of Delhi’s two former Chief Ministers are preventing for energy; On the opposite, Delhi’s personal son, Arvind Kejriwal, is preventing for the folks. The folks of Delhi’s selection is obvious—they may at all times stand with its personal son, Arvind Kejriwal,” the APP stated in an announcement.
The New Delhi constituency, one of many smallest within the metropolis, carries outsized symbolic weight.
Encompassing Lutyens Delhi and its adjoining areas, it serves as a microcosm of the Capital’s socioeconomic variety, with a voter base that features authorities workers, slum dwellers, merchants, and Dalits.
With over 100,000 voters, the seat has lengthy been thought-about a prize for political heavyweights.
Based on political observers, the New Delhi seat encapsulates the bigger battle for Delhi’s future.
Tanvir Aeijaz, affiliate professor of Political Science at Ramjas Faculty, stated the line-up of candidates means that New Delhi will hog the limelight within the elections.
Aeijaz stated, “The election has given Sandeep Dikshit a chance to avenge his mom’s defeat by the hands of Arvind Kejriwal, which pushed Congress to the brink in Delhi. For Parvesh Sahib Singh, it’s a chance to defeat Kejriwal because the BJP tries to push him out of energy. Kejriwal’s reputation stays unmatched, however anti-incumbency and robust challengers make this a high-stakes struggle.”
