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Journalism of Courage
The BSP8217;s Lokesh Dikshit is Ram Babu Sharma8217;s new competitor in the Rohtas Nagar Assembly constituency.
Lokesh, 34, has more energy and is full of enthusiasm. Clad in a spotless white shirt and trousers, he travels in his Mahindra Scorpio and is confident no party can take the Rohtas Nagar seat away from the BSP. 8220;Both the BJP and the Congress have done nothing for the area. And the people of this constituency are aware of that. They want to see development and I am their man,8221; Lokesh says.
Drawing attention to ailing Congress MLA Ram Babu Sharma, Lokesh says, 8220;Sharma does not even have the energy to speak. A man who cannot talk to his people can8217;t be a leader.8221;
Lokesh feels the BJP and the Congress have failed to deliver on basic amenities. 8220;Both parties feel that people are a burden. But I want them to know that the public is God. This area has a Congress MLA and four BJP councillors but none of them have done anything for the area. This constituency has no drainage system and people don8217;t get clean water to drink. Several cases of dengue were also reported from here,8221; he says.
Lokesh admits he has more time for campaigning than other contenders. 8220;Mayawati has vision. She wants to see the people happy and we are her representatives in the area,8221; he says. 8220;We are the party of the people and we will ensure people get their rights,8221; Lokesh says. He was a councillor in UP before his party high command asked him to contest elections in Delhi.
The BJP candidate from the area, Alok Kumar, however, does not consider Lokesh a major threat. 8220;He may be a threat to Ram Babu Sharma. Both are Brahmins and Sharma has not been active for sometime now. I think Lokesh will cut into some of his votes. As far as the BJP is concerned, we do not see him as a big competitor,8221; Alok Kumar says.
But it8217;s not just the Brahmin vote that Lokesh is eyeing. 8220;I have not come here to just win over the Brahmins. In fact, I am here to work for people who have been failed by their leaders,8221; he says.
