BJP faces challenges in slums and JJ clusters ahead of elections

New Delhi: As per inputs gathered by RSS-affiliated organizations, the BJP faces growing concerns from one of Delhi’s key voter demographics—the residents of slums and Jhuggi-Jhopri (JJ) clusters—as it aims to replicate its 1993 election result, which marked its last time in power in the national capital.

Functionaries holding different posts in the organization who have been following the election told The Sunday Guardian that as per the feedback that they have been receiving from voters, many of these residents fear that, if the BJP wins, their homes, mostly built illegally, would be demolished, and the public welfare schemes they have become dependent on, including free utilities, healthcare, and subsidized food, will be discontinued. This feedback suggests that the narrative set by Aam Aadmi Party leaders has deeply permeated at the grassroots level.

As per rough estimates, there are around three lakh households across Delhi’s 675 slums and 1,700 JJ clusters, which together account for around 10% of the city’s electorate. As per the latest figures released by the Election Commission of India, there are around 1.55 crore voters in Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to assuage the fear of the voters from this segment, had assured on 5 January that no existing public welfare scheme would be stopped if the BJP were voted to power in Delhi.

There are multiple freebies schemes that are being executed by the AAP government in Delhi that cover free electricity, water, healthcare, travelling in public transport among others that primarily impact the people in the lower economic strata.
Sources told The Sunday Guardian that RSS-affiliated organizations, including grassroots teams, have been working on the ground. These teams, often consisting of 8-10 people, are engaging with residents in slum and JJ cluster areas and assuring them that BJP won’t stop these freebies schemes, contrary to what the AAP leaders have been claiming.
Sewa Bharti, a prominent NGO under Rashtriya Sewa Bharati, has been an integral part of these efforts. The organization has been actively involved in reaching out to the economically weaker sections of Delhi’s population, especially those living in slums and JJ clusters.

However, sources said that despite these efforts, the concern remains palpable among many voters as many of them have become dependent on these freebies and it has become an essential support system for them. In fact, the “popularity” of these freebies is stated to be among the reasons behind the increasing number of migrants in Delhi, as word of mouth publicity of these schemes has reached other states, leading to people moving to Delhi in hope of getting benefits from these freebies.