Delhi polls: A level playing field for AAP, BJP and Congress
This year the contest is interesting with Sisodia facing off with former colleague and MLA from Lakshmi Nagar, Binny, who moved to BJP a few days ago.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: The Patparganj constituency is a mixed bag, home to not just the middle class comprising migrants from western Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, but also Punjabis and baniyas. It also includes a sizable Gujjar population as well as several unauthorized colonies and JJ clusters. This seems to have made Patparganj a level playing field for all three parties.
The seat was won by AAP's Manish Sisodia in 2013. This year the contest is interesting with Sisodia facing off with former colleague and MLA from Lakshmi Nagar, Vinod Kumar Binny, who moved to BJP a few days ago. Congress' Anil Kumar, who has been MLA from the area twice, is a Gujjar. Binny is also a Gujjar and sources say they will end up cutting each others' votes. Sisodia, a Brahmin, could benefit from this.
The middle-class segment had voted largely for BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. "I voted for BJP in 2014 but this time I will vote for AAP. Some others who were also planning to do so have changed their minds after the entry of Kiran Bedi as CM aspirant from BJP but several others who voted for BJP in 2014 will vote for AAP. It is difficult to say which way this seat will swing," said Harish Bhalla, a resident of IP Extension.
The seat was won by AAP's Manish Sisodia in 2013. This year the contest is interesting with Sisodia facing off with former colleague and MLA from Lakshmi Nagar, Vinod Kumar Binny, who moved to BJP a few days ago. Congress' Anil Kumar, who has been MLA from the area twice, is a Gujjar. Binny is also a Gujjar and sources say they will end up cutting each others' votes. Sisodia, a Brahmin, could benefit from this.
The middle-class segment had voted largely for BJP in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. "I voted for BJP in 2014 but this time I will vote for AAP. Some others who were also planning to do so have changed their minds after the entry of Kiran Bedi as CM aspirant from BJP but several others who voted for BJP in 2014 will vote for AAP. It is difficult to say which way this seat will swing," said Harish Bhalla, a resident of IP Extension.
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