Among the many latest Lok Sabha constituencies within the nationwide capital is West Delhi, which got here into existence a bit of earlier than the 2009 parliamentary polls. The seat has seen three Lok Sabha polls to this point, and the fourth one is a number of weeks away.
Coincidentally, in all three elections, the get together profitable this constituency has shaped the federal government on the Centre. In 2009, the Congress gained the seat when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) got here to energy. In 2014 and 2019, it was the BJP that gained the seat, in addition to shaped the federal government on the Centre.
Within the final two elections, the seat noticed a three-way contest with each the Aam Aadmi Get together and Congress placing up candidates. Nonetheless, this time the 2 events have joined arms in opposition to the BJP.
The Battle
In 2024, the combat is between BJP’s Kamaljeet Sehrawat and AAP chief Mahabal Mishra, who can be supported by the Congress.
Whereas in 2014, it was AAP that was in second place, in 2019 it was the Congress. The BJP has swept the seat twice.
In 2014, Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma gained the polls by a margin of two.68 lakh votes – the very best until that yr. In 2019, he gained the elections with the highest-ever margin of 5.78 lakh votes. Regardless of an improved outcome from his earlier contest, Verma has been dropped by the BJP this time.
The 2009 winner, Mahabal Mishra, got here second in 2019 with 2.87 lakh votes, and was third in 2014 with 1.93 lakh votes.
Whereas that is the primary Lok Sabha ballot for BJP’s Sehrawat, for Mishra, it’s his fourth. If elected, Sehrawat would be the first lady MP from the seat.
The Constituency
With over 24.88 lakh electors, West Delhi is the biggest Lok Sabha seat within the metropolis. It’s dwelling to about 17% of the voters within the nationwide capital – 13.27 lakh males and 11.61 lakh females.
It is usually dwelling to the very best variety of first-time voters in addition to these above the age of 80 years. Out of the 1.47 lakh first-time voters in Delhi, 26,584 (practically 20%) are on this constituency. Additionally, it has about 20% of Delhi’s 80+ voters – over 50,000.
The constituency was shaped after carving some areas from the Outer and South Delhi Lok Sabha seats forward of the 2009 elections. It has 10 meeting constituencies – Madipur, Vikaspuri, Uttam Nagar, Dwarka, Matiala, Najafgarh, Rajouri Backyard, Hari Nagar, Tilak Nagar, and Janakpuri. All these 10 seats throughout the West and South-West districts had been bagged by AAP within the 2020 meeting polls.
NOTA
Within the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, None of The Above (NOTA) was the fifth hottest choice after the BJP, Congress, AAP, and BSP. There have been 8,937 votes for NOTA – greater than the votes polled for 19 candidates. There have been 24 choices earlier than the voters within the constituency. It was greater than the NOTA votes polled within the seat in 2014.
In 2014, there have been 18 choices earlier than the voters and NOTA was pressed 7,932 occasions. It was on the sixth place by way of votes – gathering extra presses than 12 candidates within the fray.
Lok Sabha Consultant
Verma, between 2019 and 2024, requested practically 270 questions within the Lok Sabha, significantly better than the nationwide common of 210 questions by MPs, as per PRS India, a non-profit organisation. His attendance was 95%, once more higher than the nationwide common of 79%.
He took half in 47 debates – together with water storage and air air pollution in Delhi.
The Points
The constituency is densely populated and a number of other elements of it lack fundamental civic infrastructure.
News18 spoke to the residents from a few of these areas who raised a variety of considerations together with irregular water provide and site visitors congestion.
“Water provide may be very irregular. A number of occasions folks have come on the highway protesting as a result of the scenario will not be bettering. Both there isn’t a water in any respect or it’s soiled,” stated Jyoti Singh, a 35-year-old Mahavir Enclave resident.
She additionally stated that roads within the space are broken and “even a drizzle could cause waterlogging”.
For 30-year-old Gautam Singh, the scenario isn’t any higher in Uttam Nagar.
“The realm may be very polluted and there’s a very severe site visitors difficulty. It’s densely populated and there will not be sufficient faculties, faculties, and hospitals. Wherever you go, it’s crowded. Parking can be a serious difficulty. Lack of parking area forces automobile homeowners to maintain their automobiles on the roadside and that takes up your entire highway,” Singh stated, urging the political events to give attention to the plight of the widespread man.
For 55-year-old Shivani Anand, a resident of Dwarka’s sector-6, whereas there have been tall guarantees for the realm, the scenario on the bottom will not be so good.
“The roads are in dangerous situation and the water provide is irregular. There are drains within the areas that no authority is prepared to take care of or clear,” Anand added.
Pooja Kumari, a 25-year-old Najafgarh resident, says the look forward to Delhi College’s West Campus is neverending.
“Can anybody imagine that we stay within the nationwide capital and should journey 40-50 kilometres per day for faculty as a result of the Western Campus of the Delhi College continues to be a promise? I used to be at school when talks for this began however now I’ve accomplished my commencement and never even a room has been in-built all these years,” she stated.
The Lok Sabha polls will begin on April 19 and all of the seven seats in Delhi will see voting in a single section on Could 25. The notification might be issued on April 29 and the final date for submitting nominations might be Could 6. The counting of the votes will happen on June 4.
