Seema (name changed) has been in Delhi for as long as she can remember. On Mon๊day, as we watched Atishi pass by her shop in Giri Nagar, Singhal said she would like to see the AAP candidate return to power in Kalkaji.
During the Delhi CM's road show, Sh𝔉eila's shop grabbed Atishi and Manish Sisodia's attention due to her outdoor display of brooms, which is also the Aam Aadmi Party's symbol.
"We have seen Congress in 💮power but only AAP has worked for Delhi," said Seema, ad✤ding that with Kejriwal and Atishi, they saw improvement in their day to day lives.
"Atishi has done a lot for us in Kalkaji. From water supply to education to healthcare and public sche💫mes, AAP has done a lot for Delhi. We haven't seeဣn this level of effort from Congress or BJP in the capital," she added further.
Delhi will head to the polls on February 5, 2025 across all 70 assembly seats in a single phase elections. In the Kalkaji constituency, it's a tight battle between AAP, Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The Battle For Kalkaji
For Kalkaji,ꦑ Delhi CM and incumbent MLA Atishi is up against BJP's Ramesh Bidhuri, who has passed sexist remarks against the AAP leader, and Congress' Alka Lamba, who is seeking the grand-old party's return to power.
Both Lamba and Atishi have carried out rallies and road shows in the area, seeking support from voters and residents for the upcoming elections. A day before filing her nomination, Delhi CM Atishi held a road show in Giri Nagar, which garnered attention from many people.
From AAP supporters to onlookers, hundreds of people gathered to watch as the CM, accompanied by Manish Sisodia, made t🦩heir way through the rocky streets of Kal🅰kaji.
For the past 10 years, the Aam Aadmi Party has been in power in the National Capital. The ruling party prides itself on working for the people of Delhi and as per the party, this objective is reflected in their initiatives acros🐼s MCD schools, Mohalla Clinics and various welfare schemes.
In Kalkaji, the Mohalla clinics in the area still need improvement and the current state shows that the incumbent party still has a lot of woꦓrk to do.
From ꧃lack of machines to rude doctors, residents say they "do by" with the clinics but wish AAP would work to improve the conditions and provide better healthcare for the people.
A short walk away from the Mohalla Clinic in Giri Nagar, you'll meet Gita, where she runs a small tea stall with her son. Speaking to Outlook, she tells us about the rude old doctor "who always shoos us away". Her son tells us an ambulance service started by BJP candidate Ramesh Bidhuri provides bett𓂃er checkups and the doc෴tors there take their time to assess the patients.
Despite the work in progress needed in AAP's initiative, Gita and the several guests at her chai thela would like to see Atishi return and are keen to vote for her, which ꧂seems to be a common theme around Kalakaji.
While some residents vocalised their dissatisfaction with AAP's work and stated they would opt for a new voice, hinting at a vote for Bidhuri, many others li💟ke Gita continue to rooꦆt for Atishi's return to Kalkaji.
Why? Because because "Atishi hum gareebo ke liye kaam karti hai." (Atishi works for the betterment of the poor)
"Bidhuri Sahab kaam kar rahe hai, lekin agar woh jeet gaye, toh sabse pehle hume nikalege. Humara dhanda, jhuggi jhopdi sab band ho jayega," they tell me as we share a cup of tea in the bitter cold of Delhi. (Bidhuri works as well, but if he wins, the first people to be kicked out will be us. Our work and life will come to an end with no altern🅰ative).
BJP And Congress Compete For Kalkaji
BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri has based his campaign on local issues and stated that he will work on problems such as road connectivity, water shortages and sewage inefficiꦑencies.
Throughout his campaign, the BJP candidate has criticised the AAP government and highlighted the plight of the people across Kalkaji and Govindpuri. However, Bidhuri's promises for the upcoming polls sparked a row as he opted for sexist remarks.
While vowing to improve the roads, the BJP candidate stated that he will make roads "like Priyanka Gandhi's cheeks," earning backlash from 🧸Congress and AAP. The BJP distanced itself from his comments but is yet to reprimand the leader publicly.
Congress' Alka Lamba has made similar promises but is focusing the women empowerment. Targeting AAP's Mukhya Mantri Mahila Samman Yojana, Lamba has slammed the incumbent government for not doing enough for women and stated that the Congress will do much more under 💖its Pyari Didi Scheme, which promises Rs 2,500 to women.
“If they wanted to give Rs 2,100 to you🐠 ever🍌y month, why didn’t they do it until now when they have been in power for 10 years?”, Lamba was quoted as saying during a roadshow in Kalkaji.
Urging people to give Congress “one more chance,” the Kalkaji candidate has also made vows of free ཧelectricity and health insurance worth Rs 25 lakh for everyone in the capital, battling AAP’s vow of setting up more Mohalla Clinics in the area.
The Election Commission of India wi🧔ll hold the🌸 Delhi assembly elections on February 5, 2025. All 70 seats will head to the polls in a single phase election. The counting of votes will be held on February 8, 2025.
The incumbent Aam Aadmi Party is hopeful for a third term in office. AAP has been in power since 2013 and proceeded to win the 2015 and 2020 elections with a majority. However, with BJP’s swe🤡ep in the Lok Sabha Elections, a different mandate is expected this time arou෴nd.
Congress and AAP, which are allies and part of the INDIA bloc, have halted their partnership for the assembly elections and are contesting sepa💙rately. The grand-old party was ousted in 2013 after the BJP won the vote.
However, due to a hung assembly, AAP was invited to form the government and since 🐼then the Arvind Kejriwal-led party has been in power. With the vote just weeks away, AAP, BJP and the Congress continue to battle it out.
