Ex-councillor is BJP’s Rajinder Nagar bypoll pick

“It is a battle of an outsider versus local as the AAP candidate is from Karawal Nagar. AAP MLA from the area, Raghav Chadha, deserted the constituency despite getting people’s support. He was the Delhi Jal Board head but did not resolve the water crisis,” Bhatia said, adding that solving the water crisis would be his priority.

The AAP has fielded MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak from the constituency. The seat fell vacant after Chadha was nominated by the AAP to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab.

Senior BJP leaders said Bhatia had been demanding a ticket from the constituency for a long time. “He has done impressive work for the party in Uttarakhand polls. Also, being a Punjabi and a local add to his credentials,” a leader said.

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“He was unhappy on not being given a position on state president Adesh Gupta’s team. So, the party decided to put him in charge of the 2022 Uttarakhand elections, where he was Pravasi Pradesh chunav pramukh. He performed well and the party won,” said another leader.

Meanwhile, the Congress fielded its former municipal councillor, Prem Lata, as its candidate. A press release issued by the AICC said Congress president Sonia Gandhi has approved the candidature.

Lata, who won the municipal polls from Pusa ward under Rajinder Nagar constituency in 2012, was defeated from Inderpuri ward in 2017.