New Delhi

11 sitting MLAs in the fray for 10 seats in Chandni Chowk

NEW DELHI: The Chandni Chowk parliamentary constituency is witnessing a fascinating battle this time round with 11 sitting MLAs in the fray for 10 seats in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections on November 29.

All eyes will be on Ballimaran where the contest is between three-time heavyweight MLA and Delhi Transport Minister Haroon Yusuf and sitting MLA from the erstwhile Ram Nagar (SC) constituency Moti Lal Sodi. While Mr. Yusuf is banking on his clean image and work done in the area, Mr. Sodi is relying on one-to-one contact with the electorate and the work he has done in providing durable roads, water and sewer lines to them.

However, Bahujan Samaj Party nominee Mushrafin and independent candidate Ubed Iqbal may eat into the vote bank of Mr. Yusuf. Mr. Iqbal is the brother of Shoaib Iqbal, three-time reigning MLA from the adjoining Matia Mahal constituency and Deputy Speaker of the Delhi Assembly.

Following delimitation, the Matia Mahal seat comprises 36 per cent of the old Matia Mahal, 25 per cent of Minto Road and 39 per cent of Paharganj constituencies. The Congress has fielded sitting municipal councillor Mahmood Zia and the BJP has nominated former councillor Talat Sultana. The constituency has 48 per cent Muslim, 15 per cent Scheduled Caste and 11 per cent Bania population.

While many believe that Shoaib Iqbal is all set to win for the fourth time, speculations are that BSP candidate Abhey Singh Yadav may cause some worry to the main candidates. Among the independents is the former Deputy Mayor and Congress rebel Ramesh Dutta.

Praveen Khandelwal, the face of the recent anti-sealing drive campaign in the Capital, will take on two-time MLA from the Chandni Chowk constituency Prahlad Singh Sawhney. However, as the new seat comprises 27 per cent of old Matia Mahal, Lok Jan Shakti Party candidate and sitting councillor Khurram Iqbal -- nephew of Shoaib Iqbal -- is expected to grab a sizable chunk of the about 1.13 lakh votes. Many believe that Mr. Khandelwal stands a fair chance if he manages to get the support of the local BJP workers many of whom were vying for the party ticket. The constituency comprises 20 per cent Muslim, 15 per cent Scheduled Caste, 16 per cent Bania and 25 per cent the Other Backward Classes and others population.

A unique aspect of the Sadar Bazar constituency is that it has been carved out of three old constituencies -- 33 per cent of Kamla Nagar, 36 per cent of Sadar Bazar and 31 per cent of Baljeet Nagar. The main contestants for the seat are the two-time sitting MLA Rajesh Jain, said to be Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit loyalist, and Jai Prakash, close associate of senior BJP leader Vijay Goel.

The population composition of the seat -- comprising 16 per cent Scheduled Castes, 15 per cent traders, 13 per cent Muslims, 12 per cent Sikhs and 23 per cent Other Backward Classes and others, -- has made it an intriguing contest.

Comprising 162 polling stations, the Model Town constituency will witness a contest between two-time sitting MLA Kanwar Karan Singh and Bhola Nath Vij, said to be an RSS figure. The Punjabi-khatri (17 per cent), Bania (15 per cent), Schedule Caste (19 per cent) and Poorwanchali (10 per cent) factors may play a crucial role in this seat that comprises 72 per cent of the old Model Town and 28 per cent of the old Kamla Nagar constituencies.

In Wazirpur, Congress nominee Hari Shankar Gupta, considered as a close aide of Union Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken, is pitted against sitting MLA and former Delhi BJP president Mange Ram Garg. Carved out of three erstwhile constituencies – Tri Nagar, Wazirpur and Adarsh Nagar – the constituency comprises 23 per cent Scheduled Castes, 15 per cent Punjabi khatri and 10 per cent Poorvanchali.

While the BSP is expected to put up a good show on this seat, Mr. Gupta said delimitation and anti-incumbency coupled with the public perception that his style of working resembled that of two-time Congress MLA late Deep Chand Bandhu would help him win.

The Shalimar Bagh constituency, a traditional BJP bastion and seat of former Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma, will witness a fight between two-time sitting BJP MLA Ravinder Bansal and Ram Kailash Gupta, an old Congress hand who is understood to have a strong traders’ vote base.

The BJP has fielded Shyam Lal Garg for the second consecutive time against two-time Congress MLA S.C. Vats from the Shakur Basti seat, which comprises 25 per cent Punjabi, 25 per cent Bania and 10 per cent Brahmin voters.

The seat now comprises 54 per cent of the old Shakur Basti and 46 per cent of the old Madipur constituencies.

The Tri Nagar constituency that has over 1.46 lakh voters has undergone a major change following delimitation. It comprises 55 per cent of old Tri Nagar and 45 per cent of old Shakur Basti.

Former two-time BJP MLA (1993 and 1998) Nand Kishore Garg will take on sitting Congress MLA Anil Bhardwaj in this constituency that has 16 per cent Scheduled Caste, 18 per cent Punjabi khatri and 20 per cent Bania population.

The BJP has fielded Akali Dal candidate Ravinder Singh Khurana for the second consecutive time against two-time sitting Congress MLA and Delhi Industries Minister Mangat Ram Singhal from Adarsh Nagar.

With 29 per cent of the voters living in jhuggi clusters and 16 per cent being Scheduled Caste, the BSP that had in the previous election shown its marked presence in the constituency is expected to improve its performance this time round.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu