Congress wave sweeps in Sibal

For Sibal,who had won by a landslide from the same constituency in 2004,there was nothing to fear after LJP’s Shoaib Iqbal pulled out of the race. Both met in the morning to discuss the “strategy” even before the results came in. They were sure of a victory. “We have hopes from Delhi,” Iqbal said.

Sibal said: “Overall,it is a vote for secularism and secular ideology.”

And there were many in Chandni Chowk who wanted a secular party at the Centre. “We don’t have TV here. But my mind is on the election result. We want a secular government,” said the imam of the Fatehpuri Masjid Mufti Mukarram Ahmed.

Elsewhere,opposite the Jama Masjid police station,traders sat fanning themselves,but none wanted to admit they voted for the BJP. “Now it is a question of saving our face,” one Ram Chand Tara Chand said. “Vijender Gupta is a good man but it was a Congress wave.”

Down the street,an elderly businessman sat holding his head in his hands. The results have just been confirmed — Sibal has won. The high-profile Congress candidate,they said,was last seen to the area in 2004. “He came back again this summer to ask for votes,trying to impress voters by driving a solar rickshaw,” said one.

But even though Amit Jain,a resident,wasn’t quite impressed by Sibal,he voted for Congress as his “forefathers did it” “This area’s problems will never go away. This election was national. We voted for the party,” Jain said.

BJP BOWLED OUT

As the first round of the results was being announced,BJP candidate Vijender Gupta waited,clutching his phone. In the second round,when nothing positive emerged,he dialled his wife’s number and almost whispered: “I have lost”.

“She said it is okay to lose… we will accept it,” Gupta said,his words trailing off. “It is hard but it is the reality.”

After the 10th round,he walked out of the counting centre,supporters joining him. At a distance,they could see Congress flags and hear the drumbeats and the slogans. “This was unexpected. But this is an overall defeat,” a sombre Gupta said.

Gupta’s supporters walked past the celebrating Congressmen. A few crossed over and returned with Haldiram sweet boxes being distributed by the Congress workers. “Yes,we are sad. But we can’t stop eating,” Suresh Gupta from Adarsh Nagar said.

SPOILER SPOILED

Faujdar Singh,a rickshaw-puller from UP,had voted for Mayawati last time. But this time,he wasn’t sure if Behenji would be able to perform at the national level. “I voted for Congress,” he said. “Behenji UP mein hi theek hain.”

BSP candidate Haji Mustaqeem could manage 26,480 votes. Unlike his party candidates elsewhere in Delhi,Mustaqeem was not feared as a “spoiler”. His campaign,locals say,ran out of steam till the polling day arrived. Mustaqeem came to the counting centre in the morning,left early and was unavailable throughout the day.