May 10, 2009 12:42:56 am
At 55.84 per cent,the New Delhi Parliamentary constituency recorded one of the highest voter turnouts in the Capital. Only East Delhi (55.91 per cent) is higher by a few notches. That is likely to change,however,after the Chief Electoral Officer corrects the figures for the constituency to reflect 55.09 per cent voting in Jungpura as opposed to the 75.61 per cent shown yesterday.
Post delimitation,the New Delhi constituency includes areas such as Karol Bagh,Patel Nagar,Moti Nagar,Rajinder Nagar,and Greater Kailash.
The high voter turnout in the constituency,sources point out,can be attributed to the marathon campaign mounted by both candidates BJPs Vijay Goel and Congresss Ajay Maken. Both Maken and Goel had conducted an extensive campaign that saw them reach out to even the most far-flung areas in the constituency.
The high voter turnout in Karol Bagh (59.91 per cent),Patel Nagar (54.80 per cent),Moti Nagar (59.97 per cent) and Rajinder Nagar (54.55 per cent) may prove beneficial for the BJP.
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All these areas constitute the Punjabi trader belt an electorate that has traditionally supported the BJP. In the Assembly election held last November,however,both Patel Nagar and Rajinder Nagar voted the Congress to power by a margin of 10.89 per cent and 7.72 per cent,respectively.
The Congress is likely to gain an upper hand in areas like New Delhi (56.77 per cent),Kasturba Nagar (51.98 per cent) and RK Puram (52.93 per cent) which have a fair share of government colonies which have traditionally favoured the Congress.
Following the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission,the government colonies are considered to be an even bigger stronghold for the Congress. New Delhi,where Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is the sitting MLA,is also a strong support base for the Congress.
Greater Kailash (56.62 per cent),which voted for BJPs chief ministerial candidate Vijay Kumar Malhotra in the last Assembly election,has a strong trader presence which is likely to tilt the balance in the BJPs favour.
In the last Lok Sabha election in 2004,GK was in the South Delhi constituency which elected V K Malhotra as the MP.
Malviya Nagars (59.17 per cent) high voter turnout has given the Congress reasons to cheer.
This constituency has elected Congress state minister Kiran Walia three times consecutively including the Assembly election in November. Moreover,Ajay Maken was also banking on the votes from urban villages such as Hauz Khas and Shahpur Jat.
Assembly seats in New Delhi
59.91
Karol Bagh
54.80
Patel nagar
59.97
Moti Nagar
50.52
Delhi Cantt
54.55
Raj Nagar
56.77
New Delhi
51.98
Kasturba Nagar
59.17
Malviya Nagar
52.39
R k puram
56.62
Greater kailash
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