Ex-Congmen lead BJP fight against AAP in Jangpura, Kasturba Nagar

Jangpura and Kasturba Nagar are neighbouring constituencies under the New Delhi Lok Sabha seat. The AAP has fielded senior leader Manish Sisodia from Jangpura and Ramesh Pehalwan from Kasturba Nagar, while the BJP has turned to former Congress leaders to contest both seats.

In Jangpura, the BJP fielded three-time MLA and former Congress leader Tarwinder Singh Marwah. Niraj Basoya, its candidate for Kasturba Nagar, is also a former Congress MLA.

The Congress has fielded old horses Farhad Suri from Jangpura and Abhishek Dutt from Kasturba Nagar.


The Congress candidates are making it a tough contest for both BJP and AAP on these two high-profile seats.

Sisodia has been extensively campaigning, but his problem is the anti-incumbency sentiment against the sitting AAP MLA, Praveen Kumar.

"We have forgotten his (Kumar's) face. Whatever happened in the constituency he never visited us. We voted twice for him but not now," said Rajat Arora, a mobile shop owner in the Bhogal market. Sisodia is an outsider, Arora said, adding that he would prefer the local leader Marwah over the AAP candidate this time. "

But this is one side of it.

Thirty-three-year-old Rakesh Kumar runs an e-rickshaw in the nearby areas of Bhogal and his wife Sarita works as a house help. "Kejriwal thinks for poor people. Why should we not vote for him," he says, while waiting for passengers near Ravidas Temple.

"We used to vote for Marwah ji. But now he has joined the BJP," Taranjeet Singh, a grocery shop owner in Bhogal's Masjid Lane, tells ET. "I am yet to decide between Suri and Sisodia."

There are several homes of the Sikh community in the lane and most of them echo similar views.

Congress candidate Suri is popular in the area due to his work as a councillor and is drawing voter's attention in certain pockets. "We will vote for the Congress as Farhad Bhai always remains available for us," said Mohd Rashid, a resident of Nizamuddin Basti.

The victory margin for the AAP in Jangpura was more than 15,000 last time and the BJP is banking on the support of the middle class as well as Congress candidates getting a share in the AAP votes. .

In Kasturba Nagar, both BJP and Congress candidates are popular among voters. Former Congress MLA Basoya is now the BJP candidate.

Rajesh Agrahari stays in Garhi and says though he is getting benefits from the AAP, he will vote for the BJP.

The AAP denied ticket to two-time MLA Madan Lal and Lal on Sunday joined the BJP. AAP candidate Ramesh Pahalwan's wife Kusumlata Ramesh is a councillor and the couple joined the AAP from the BJP in December