Delhi elections 2015: A close contest likely for Malviya Nagar seat

NEW DELHI: The Malviya Nagar assembly constituency derives its name from one of the oldest, planned middle-class settlements in south Delhi. In the 2013 election, AAP's Somnath Bharti had bagged this seat defeating former minister and Congress MLA Kiran Walia.

Last year, Bharti, the then law minister in the Arvind Kejriwal-led government, stoked a controversy after he carried out a "midnight raid" on Khirki Village where a few foreign nationals were allegedly running a drug and flesh trade racket. The controversy hounded the Kejriwal government for the most part of the 49-day tenure. A year later, as the city gears up for fresh polls on February 7, the race for the Malviya Nagar seat will be a closely watched contest.

This time Congress has fielded former minister Yoganand Shastri with the hope that he will be able to swing the Jat vote in the party's favour. Congress is also banking on Muslim voters in the Hauz Rani-Begumpur belt.

BJP, on the other hand, has given ticket to Nandini Sharma, who will make her debut this election. This shows BJP is eyeing the large middle-class base here, which it believes will be influenced by the "Modi" factor.

The assembly segment also includes urbanized villages of Adchini, Kalu Sarai and Huaz Khas. Colonies such as Malviya Nagar, Hauz Khas, Green Park and Gautam Nagar are home to a range of voters from the upper middle class to the rich. The upscale areas include Geetanjali Enclave, Sarvodaya Enclave, Neeti Bagh, Gulmohar Park, Safdarjung Enclave. Punjabis dominate this constituency's upscale, middle and upper middle-class colonies. The rest is a mix of castes and communities.

The constituency has a large presence of professionals like lawyers in Neeti Bagh and journalists in Gulmohar Park. Traders dominate prime markets of Malviya Nagar, Hauz Khas and Green Park. Many of these traders also reside in these areas.