The moment of reckoning has arrived for Rekha Gupta and the BJP's government in Delhi. The capital city is witnessing by-elections in 12 municipal wards where BJP faces off against the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress. Delhi’s political landscape is at a crucial juncture, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta deploying her entire team to secure victory.
The by-elections are occurring in Delhi's municipal wards, including Dakshinpuri, Sangam Vihar-A, Greater Kailash, Vinod Nagar, Shalimar Bagh-B, Ashok Vihar, Chandni Chowk, Chandni Mahal, Dwarka-B, Mundka, Naraina, and Dichau Kalan.
BJP previously held 9 out of these 12 seats, with the rest belonging to the Aam Aadmi Party. Notably, Shalimar Bagh-B was vacated by Rekha Gupta as she ascended to Chief Minister, while Dwarka-B was left open following Kamaljeet Sahrawat's move to the Lok Sabha as a BJP MP from Western Delhi. Other vacancies arose as councillors assumed MLA roles.
Key Contests in Delhi's Wards
In these by-elections, BJP, AAP, and Congress are pitted in a triangular contest. Each party has strategically positioned candidates to gain a foothold. BJP is anxious to maintain its seats, while AAP aims to showcase its continued influence in the capital by winning additional seats.
Mundka: Congress has Mukesh, BJP fields Jaipal Singh Daral, and AAP presents Anil Lakra.
Shalimar Bagh-B: Contestants are Sarita Kumari (Congress), Anita Jain (BJP), and Babita Ahlawat (AAP).
Ashok Vihar: Candidates are Vishakha Rani (Congress), Veena Asija (BJP), and Seema Vikas Goyal (AAP).
Dwarka-B: Sumita Malik (Congress), Manisha Rajpal Sahrawat (BJP), and Rajbala Sahrawat (AAP) are in the fray.
Chandni Chowk: Ajay Kumar Jain (Congress), Suman Kumar Gupta (BJP), and Harsh Sharma (AAP) are running.
Dichau Kalan: Rashmi Sharma (Congress), Rekha Rani (BJP), and Keshav Chauhan (AAP) are contesting.
Naraina: Manoj Tanwar (Congress), Dr. Chandrakanta Shivani (BJP), and Rajan Arora (AAP) are candidates.
Sangam Vihar-A: Suresh Chaudhary (Congress), Shubhijit Gautam (BJP), and Anuj Sharma (AAP) are participating.
Dakshinpuri: Vikram (Congress), Rohini Raj (BJP), and Ram Swaroop Kanaujiya (AAP) are in the race.
Greater Kailash: Shiksha Kapoor (Congress), Anjum Mandal (BJP), and Aishana Gupta (AAP) vie for votes.
Vinod Nagar: Vinay Shankar Dubey (Congress), Sarla Chaudhary (BJP), and Geeta Rawat (AAP) are contenders.
Chandni Mahal: Competing are Kunwar Sheikzhad Ahmed (Congress), Sunil Sharma (BJP), Mudassir Usman Qureshi (AAP), and Imran from others.
BJP's True Test
These by-elections serve as a litmus test for the BJP in 12 Delhi wards. Shalimar Bagh-B was formerly represented by current CM Rekha Gupta. A similar high stake is at play for BJP on the Dwarka-B seat, where MP Kamaljeet Sahrawat seeks to defend the party's honor. Vinod Nagar, previously held by fiery BJP MLA Ravinder Singh Negi, stands testament to the elections' significance.
Rekha Gupta's Strategic Forces
The stakes are high for Rekha Gupta in the MCD by-elections. The BJP has designated all six Delhi ministers as ward election in-charges to secure victories, assigning two wards per minister. The in-charges and coordinators are focused on rigorous monitoring at the booth level, engaging voters directly, and orchestrating effective campaign strategies.
BJP faces its stiffest challenges in historic seats like Chandni Chowk and Chandni Mahal, notably Chandni Mahal, which saw a massive victory for AAP in the last MCD elections with over 17,000 votes—the highest win margin.
After 27 years, the formation of a BJP government in Delhi is significant, with these by-elections marking the first major test eight months into governing. This is a prime opportunity for BJP to further solidify its political standing by addressing local issues and engaging voters directly.
