A chief minister. The president of a party’s women’s wing. And, a veteran politician.
The fight for the Kalkaji seat promises to be a high-stakes showdown. It has already spurred plenty of discussion due to the firebrand candidates, ambitious promises and heated exchanges.
While eyes will be on the New Delhi constituency, where Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal is facing former CM Sheila Dikshit’s son Sandeep Dikshit, as well as Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Parvesh Verma, Kalkaji is set to be another seat that draws massive public attention.
What was once a Congress stronghold was taken by AAP in 2015, and Atishi won it in 2020 by over 11,000 votes. However, this time, it will undoubtedly be a tough fight.
While AAP has backed Atishi to retain her seat for the party, the Congress has put forward its firebrand leader, Alka Lamba. On the other hand, the BJP has fielded veteran Ramesh Bidhuri against the two women. Notably, Lamba spent nearly five years with AAP before joining Congress in 2019.
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But what do the people of Kalkaji think about the candidates? What does Atishi’s report card look like over the past four years? When they step out of their homes to vote, what issues will they keep in mind? Who is the first choice for the people this time?
We will answer all the questions.
When Kejriwal resigned from the CM post and handed over the top spot to Atishi, it could not have been a prouder moment for the people of Kalkaji to see their chosen candidate become the chief minister of Delhi.
However, what matters most is whether people are satisfied with her work in the constituency. Did she live up to her promises? Or is Bidhuri’s remark, “People are living in hell for four years,” accurate?
Lata is jobless and under a great deal of stress at the moment. She and her family do not have a place to live or a job to pay their bills. They live on the street and often beg for money to fill their stomachs. Yet, she wishes to see Atishi return.
Speaking to Firstpost, she said, “Atishi and Kejriwal are my choice. Ladies get free seats on the bus. We also do not have to pay for bus tickets. We can easily travel on the bus with dignity. Right now, my children are studying at school. Because of Atishi, we are getting everything.”
According to the Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi has a total of 1.55 crore registered voters. Of these, 25.89 lakh fall under the young voters’ category, a notable portion.
We spoke to some young voters to understand their perspectives, opinions, and concerns.
Asif is a resident of the popular Giri Nagar area of Kalkaji. He also hopes to see Atishi return as the representative of the constituency.
“There’s no doubt that the AAP has delivered. Just look at government schools today – they have improved a lot. In fact, students are moving from the private schools to government ones,” he said.
Atishi, who also serves as Delhi’s education minister, has led major reforms in the city. She has also focused on other welfare policies, including free bus rides and the Mohalla Sabha Project.
However, her time in office has not been without obstacles.
The opposition has often criticised the AAP leader for neglecting Kalkaji’s infrastructure and development needs.
“Alka’s fight is not personal with anyone. Alka ki ladai Kalkaji ke vikas ko lekar hai (Alka’s fight is for the development of Kalkaji),’ the Congress leader wrote in a post on X.
Meanwhile, the BJP candidate has criticised the AAP government for failing to deliver what it promised to the people. He has alleged a lack of infrastructure development and a shortage of public buses.
All the candidates have reiterated the promises made in their party manifestos for the Delhi elections this year. From AAP’s ‘Kejriwal ki Guarantee’ to BJP’s ‘Vikasit Dilli Sankalp Patra’ to Congress’ manifesto promising free electricity and ‘Pyari Didi Yojana’ – there is a lot that the parties have promised to woo Delhi voters.
But what does the situation look like on the ground? What concerns do the people of Kalkaji have?
Seema, who has lived in Kalkaji for around 25 years and worked as a cook for 15-20 years, has been unemployed for a while and is currently struggling to find work.
“We are still living on the streets, and nothing has changed for us. Electricity and water may be free, but that’s only for the landlords – tenants still have to pay for everything,” she told Firstpost.
Mukesh, who is also unemployed and living on the streets with Seema, shares similar concerns.
“I just want the poor to benefit, no matter which leader is in power, as long as they do good work. If we’re forced to live on the footpath, at least provide us with a shop or some basic facilities. That way, we can properly feed our children,” he said.
Another man, who lives with them, added that they are forced to beg for money to buy food. “We are not even educated. We are illiterate. We have no jobs,” he said.
Among these people, employment and proper housing facilities are the key demands they hope to see fulfilled by the next representative of Kalkaji.
Rakesh, who runs a shop outside the famous Kalkaji Mandir, has been in business for a few years now.
Speaking to Firstpost, he said, “Honestly, everything is fine for us. Nothing is bad. We have to live on the streets and earn a living. Whoever the leader is, as long as they work for us, it’s good.”
With elections fast approaching, campaigns are at an all-time high. Leaders and party workers are leaving no stone unturned in making sure their promises reach every corner of the region.
Amid this, we came across a campaign van of the Aam Aadmi Party in Kalkaji’s Giri Nagar. Some party workers were seen taking pictures of the van, and we decided to speak to one of them.
Neelam Yadav, AAP Uttar Pradesh (Women Wing) President and the party’s National Executive Member, spoke to Firstpost about the fight for Kalkaji and Atishi’s journey to the CM chair.
She said, “Atishiji was previously our MLA. She has now become the CM. For Kalkaji, she has done everything that Kejriwal promised the people of Delhi. There is electricity, water, and a nearby Mohalla clinic, while on the other side of the road, the Excellence School has been opened.”
“The public is saying that Atishi will be back,” she added.
Among the many concerns of Delhi’s residents is pollution. Last November, the Supreme Court reprimanded authorities over the delay in enforcing strict measures under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) to address the city’s worsening air quality.
Commenting on this, Yadav told Firstpost, “Pollution cannot be controlled by just one government. It originates from states like Punjab and Haryana. While we have taken steps in Punjab, the Centre also needs to step in and support the efforts.”
Seema hopes to see Ramesh Bidhuri win this time.
“Ramesh Bidhuri should win. I have voted for Kejriwal twice. Everyone should be given a chance. We can’t keep supporting just one person,” she said.
Meanwhile, some of the other people we spoke to hope to see Atishi retain her seat.
Asif went as far as to say that Atishi’s work has been better than Kejriwal’s as CM. He was asked to comment on a rare statement from Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, who praised Atishi, calling her “a thousand times better” than her predecessor (Arvind Kejriwal).
“She has been the MLA of Kalkaji, and since we play here, whenever we’ve needed ground or space for badminton, she listens patiently and gets things done. It might take a little time, but she ensures it happens.”
While Atishi has faced criticism from her rival candidates, Bidhuri has also landed in controversy for his remarks about Atishi’s surname and sexist comments about women leaders. Notably, the BJP disapproved of these remarks and said that gender or family-related comments should be avoided by politicians.
The Delhi elections are set to be held on February 5. Who actually has the upper hand in Kalkaji? That is something we will find out on the result day – February 8. The Kalkaji constituency has a total of 1,94,515 registered voters.
The Congress, which held power in Delhi for 15 consecutive years, has faced setbacks in the last two assembly elections and has not won any seats.
Meanwhile, the AAP has dominated the 2015 and 2020 elections, winning 67 and 62 seats, respectively, out of a total of 70.
(All the names of the people have been changed to protect their identity)
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It’s Atishi vs Alka Lamba vs Ramesh Bidhuri in Kalkaji. Who will win? What do the voters want?
