NEW DELHI: In the upscale South Delhi Constituency, a fierce electoral battle brews as Aam Aadmi Party’s Sahi Ram ‘Pahalwan’ challenges Bharatiya Janata Party’s Ramvir Singh Bidhuri.
‘Pahalwan’ is serving his second term as an AAP MLA from Tughlakabad and hails from Tekhand village on the outskirts of the capital, where his family has lived for generations. The BJP has fielded Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, the leader of the opposition in the Delhi Assembly, as its candidate from here. Both Sahi Ram and Bidhuri belong to the Gujjar community, representing a significant voter base in this constituency traditionally dominated by the BJP. While Bidhuri is confident of his victory, AAP is equally confident.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann did a roadshow in favour of Sahi Ram in Mehrauli. Addressing the voters, Kejriwal famously remarked, “Aap sabhi ‘jhaadu’ ka button dabaayenge to mujhe jail jaane ki zaroorat nahi padegi (If you vote for AAP, I won’t need to go to jail).”
According to locals, the prominent issue in South Delhi is encroachment, especially in Mehrauli which is an important archaeological place where Qutub Minar and other ancient structures are. According to a local, Ramesh Singh, the green cover in South Delhi is lessening due to trees being cut down for various purposes. He says that this has also resulted in encroachment as various unauthorised colonies have come up in the forest land. Singh added that both AAP and BJP candidates are not raising these issues.
“Recently, leopards were also sighted during the last winter season in the area around Sainik Farm, due to the lack of green cover,” Singh added.
Another resident said, “We will vote for whoever promises a flyover from AIIMS to Chhatarpur, as we face traffic congestion daily during peak hours.”
Another issue is that of water shortage in areas like Mehrauli, Chhatarpur, and Sangam Vihar. Residents acknowledge that the water supply has significantly improved over the past two years, but much work remains to be done. Munni, a domestic worker, mentions that she often has to purchase water from tankers because sometimes there is no water supply for a month. “The situation becomes really dire during the summer in Sangam Vihar. While Kejriwal has made significant efforts for the people, these basic issues still need to be resolved,” she said.
Both Bidhuri and Pahalwan are promising development on these fronts. Ramvir Bidhuri has promised to bring places that are not connected to the services of Delhi Metro to its network, including the world’s largest eco park in Badarpur. On the other hand, Sahiram Pahalwan is promising to make the area congestion-free. He is also relying on AAP’s ‘Jail ka Jawab vote se’ campaign.
The South Delhi parliamentary seat comprises ten assembly constituencies: Bijwasan, Palam, Mehrauli, Chhatarpur, Deoli, Ambedkar Nagar, Sangam Vihar, Kalkaji, Tughlakabad, and Badarpur. Gujjars and Jats hold substantial influence in South Delhi polls which are going to vote on May 25.