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Journalism of Courage
With Aam Aadmi Party facing off its INDIA bloc partner Congress and the BJP in a triangular contest, Delhi is voting on Wednesday to elect members for its 70-seat assembly, While the AAP is eyeing a third consecutive term in the government, the BJP and the Congress are looking to wrest its power from the ruling dispensation.
Even as all eyes are on the exit polls, that will be out once the polling is over, such surveys ever since AAP’s debut in 2013 have failed to capture the extent of the Arvind Kejriwal-led party’s dominance. While the average of exit polls correctly predicted a hung Assembly in 2013, they predicted much closer contests in 2015 and 2020, two elections in which the AAP nearly swept Delhi’s 70 Assembly seats. The Indian Express Wednesday spoke to a number of voters at various polling booths across the city to sense the pulse of the political battleground that the capital city has turned into. Here’s a look at what they said:
Shubham Mishra, 28, finance sector, Laxmi Nagar constituency
“I am going to vote for change. AAP has done nothing in Delhi to improve infrastructure. We get polluted water, pollution and there is always traffic jam in Delhi. The roads are very bad. I have relatives in UP and NCR cities like Ghaziabad and Noida. Modi govt has done a lot of development there. Once I enter Noida or Ghaziabad, the travelling is smooth, there are no huge traffic jams or potholes. AAP’s term is over now in Delhi.”
Trilochan Singh, 79, used to work as a driver, Mohan Puri (Babarpur Constituency)
“Kejriwal has done a lot for schools, health by setting up mohalla clinics, free electricity for 200 units. The Centre has also done some work. We have ration cards. But because of the BJP, bade logon ko zyada faida huan (Rich people have benefited more). This time all the parties have promised many welfare schemes and guarantees. Kejriwal has already done so much. Not only here, public transport buses are free in Punjab as well. Every party has assured something or the other. I was constantly on Youtube. Modi-saab nai kaha hein free buses sabhi states mein karenge, patah nahi jhooth hein ya phir sach. Meine youtube mein dhekha tha… Now it all depends on which party will work after coming to power. Kismat ki baat hein.”
Yuvraj Singh, 20, undergrad student, first-time voter
“Today, I am happy because I voted for the first time. I voted for BB Tyagi as I like him as a person and he is also a good candidate. I expect that he will provide better facilities in the area.”
Ritika Mishra, finance sector, Laxmi Nagar constituency
“After AAP, other parties are also promising freebies this time. But as a tax payer, I want at least something in return, be it in terms of better infrastructure, street light or safety of women. Yamuna is polluted. AAP has only taken our money and given it to other sections and that also they did not do properly. In Laxmi Nagar, there is no space for walking. Encroachment ho raha hai roz, koi hata nahi raha hai… (New encroachments are cropping up everyday, yet nobody is there to remove them.)”
Suresh Kumar, senior citizen, Kalyanpuri (Kondli constituency)
“My wife and I are now dependent on Arvind Kejriwal. My own sons are not supporting us. I just hope, he wins again and gives my wife a pension. The BJP and the Congress also promised to raise pension money but I don’t believe them. They are all rich fake people. At least Kejriwal is an Aam Aadmi like me. I feel he will listen to our problems and support us.”
Himanshu, 23
“I voted for Monu ( AAP candidate Kuldeep Kumar). He is very active in the area and has done a lot of work. Even though there are some works pending in the area, I voted for AAP, hoping that he will complete it.”
Nirmala Sharma, 59, polling agent for AAP, Ghonda constituency (Sharma is keeping track of people coming to cast their votes at the Sant Parmanand Public School, Mohanpuri, North Ghonda)
“So far, around 200 to 250 people have come… There have been no concerns of missing names… The AAP is the only party which is working for a change. Our leader, Gopal Rai, enjoys a lot of popularity here. The schools and healthcare facilities have been taken care of, and the concern of the lay man is being voiced by the party.”
Rajesh Kapoor, 54, businessman, Karkari Road (Vishwas Nagar constituency)
“My vote is going against the freebies. Subsidies and welfare schemes should be given to people in need. Not everyone. Freebies are making people lazy.”
Rajni Kapoor, 43
“I voted for BJP. I don’t want Rs 2,100 or Rs 2,500. Provide jobs and better facilities, we will work hard and make money.”
Desraj, 43, New Delhi constituency (He was the first person to arrive at the polling station 44 near Sanchar Bhawan)
“I’ve come here to cast my vote. I’m very excited. The election this time will be very close. I’ve come early… couldn’t wait to vote this election. This is our right.”
Harshvardhan Goswami, 39, Kamal Vihar (Burari constituency)
“Most of the promises made by the government have gone unfulfilled. Many here don’t receive the free electricity and water promised to them…in the last 10-15 years I have seen very little development also. I think people will vote for a change this time.We spend around 80-100 rupees everyday to buy water… what little water comes from the pipes is dirty and unusable… I come from a middle class background and spending money daily on water adds up at the end of the month.”
Vineet Kumar Batra, Delhi Police Apartment, Mayur Vihar-1
“This time all the parties seem to have gone full freebies mode. Ab sabme ek shart lag gayi hai free chizen baatne mai. No party is talking about the actual issues — encroachment, clean water, pollution and better roads. But I don’t blame them. They are also offering what the majority of the people want. People of Delhi are so blinded that they want free electricity and not a good road to walk in or clean air to breathe. I had no choice but to cast my vote.”
Shiv Kumar, 50, a local business owner
“Dekhiye swasthya aur shiksha zaruri hai. Lekin uss se pehle zinda rehna zaruri hai. Zinda rehne ke liye zaruri hai dharm, jiska khayal sirf aur sirf BJP karti hai… Is jungle mein zinda rehne ke liye BJP ki sarkar chahiye (Look health and education are important but before that one must need to survive. To survive you need dharma, which is only taken care of by the BJP… to survive in this jungle we will need a BJP government).”
Tanasvi, 22
“I am voting the second time…this time I voted for change and better facility. In the last ten years, our current did not do anything for the people. You promise to give free water but when you open the tap, it is only muddy water. As a youngster, I feel I don’t want free things but I want quality — clean water, better roads, safety for women. Street lights on the road. A large number of areas and main roads don’t have working streetlights.”
Reema, 45
“Mera vote to desh ke hit mai gaya hai. BJP ka 26 saal vanvaas is baar khatam karna hai Dilli mai. We want a better Delhi.”
Sushma Malik, 51, and Aryan Malik,19, Shalimar village
Voted for betterment, better roads, better traffic, cleanliness. Don’t want freebies but better facilities.
Aas Mohammad, 18, first-time voter, Shalimar Bagh
Voted for cleanliness, better education, and more jobs for youth.
Rakesh Kumar, 64, general store owner, Fine Home Apartment
“Saari free ki Revri band kar deni chahiye Dilli main tab hi halat sudhregi… Free welfare schemes se kya fayda ho raha hai? You are saving Rs 800 here and paying more than that somewhere else. Just because of one party, all the other parties are now promising free things. We want change in Delhi. People elected AAP twice, what did they do? Only fighting, blame game, scams… Kejriwal built a fancy house for himself but could not fix the roads in the city…”
Rekha Devi, 40, househelp, Rithala
“Dil me jo laga aaj unko vote dediya… water is the biggest issue in Rithala, we gave our vote and now the water will start coming to our houses.”
Rajeev Kumar, 40 and Lakshmi, 42, Rithala village
Broken roads and dirty surroundings are the main issues for us. Cleanliness is the biggest issue. Government should change this time.
MK Joshi, 81, Acharya Niketan
“I am 81 and still hoping for change. We have had Congress and AAP in Delhi. The AAP also did nothing except corruption and blaming the central government for everything. Delhi needs a double engine sarkar this time.”
Rahul Sharma, 25, a first-time voter, Hauz Khas (Malviya Nagar constituency)
“I voted for the candidate that my father asked me to vote for.”
Anil kumar Chaudhary, 46, driver, and his daughter Sanjana, 18, NEET aspirant Shalimar Village
“Whoever forms the government should not lie,” says Anil while his daughter Sanjana says,” Want the government to create better job opportunities for future.”
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