Cong struggles to close gap with AAP in minority seats

Zareena, frustrated by a clogged sewer in New Seelampur, had to wade through knee-deep water last monsoon. Despite her dissatisfaction with the local MLA, she will vote for AAP (Jhadoo) due to her satisfaction with her children's government school and the local mohalla clinic. She adds, "It's not Kejriwal's fault; the MLA didn't work, so they've given the ticket to someone else this time."

Zareena mirrors the views of many Muslim voters in Delhi, who make up 21% of the population. About 10 of the 70 Delhi seats, including Seelampur, Okhla, and Chandni Chowk, have a significant Muslim population.

ET explores issues among minority voters in the first assembly election since the 2020 North-East Delhi riots:


The DELHI MODEL

Traditionally voting for Congress, the Muslim community shifted support to AAP after its 2015 win. Zahida from Old Seemapuri says, "AAP has worked for us-my kids thrive in government school, and we get quality healthcare at the mohalla clinic." Her area, part of Shahdara, sees AAP fielding BJP defector Jitender Shunty.

In Babarpur, AAP minister Gopal Rai's constituency, Gulshan, a shop owner, says, "We just want to live in peace and earn an honest living. No previous government worked for us. This is the first government focused on basics with a bottom-up approach-education, health, electricity, and water are all provided."

ANTI-INCUMBENCY

Despite successes in education and healthcare, people feel MLAs have been complacent in the last five years. AAP has replaced them to counter anti-incumbency, though the strategy's effectiveness remains uncertain.

In Seelampur, voters say it doesn't matter who's on the ticket-"Yahan jhadoo hee chalti hai" (People will vote for the broom). AAP has replaced MLA Abdul Rehman with Chaudhary Zubair Ahmed, making it a contest between AAP and Congress, says Ismail.

ADVANTAGE BJP?

Congress is fighting hard in Muslim-majority assembly segments of North East Delhi, with Rahul Gandhi starting his campaign in Seelampur. The party condemned the BJP for backing a film on the 2020 Delhi riots. In the 2020 elections, Congress barely made an impact, with most of its candidates losing their deposits. In Okhla, for example, AAP's Amanatullah Khan got 66% of the vote, while Congress' Parvez Hashmi secured just 2.59%. Despite this, some wonder if Congress can close the gap, but Mohammed Irshad, a tyre shop owner, says, "Nobody takes Congress seriously anymore. Voting for it is wasting your vote."