Okhla to go to polls under shadow of Batla House encounter

The Samajwadi Party is fielding Wazim Ahmed Ghazi from the constituency where he had polled 6,723 votes and came third in the 2003 Assembly elections.

The fight has become prestigious for the Congress as SP leader Amar Singh is virtually using the encounter issue to paint the ruling party in an anti-minority light.

Singh, who has undertaken a number of visits to Jamia Nagar where two suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists were killed in the encounter, has demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident which has 43 per cent Muslim voters, 15 per cent Gujjars and 11 per cent OBCs.

“Where was Hashmi when the encounter took place? Even his party refused to conduct a probe into the matter. Hashmi will have to pay a price in form of his seat,” Ghazi says.

However, Hashmi appears to be unfazed and expresses confidence that he is going to win once again.

“This time Congress is going to make history,” he says. He won the first assembly polls on a Janta Dal ticket in 1993 while in the next two polls, he contested on Congress ticket.

“There were over a dozen Muslim candidates in last two elections, but I emerged victorious. I even managed to win majority of the vote from Hindu-dominated areas because of my good work,” Hashmi contends.

But the people in Jamia Nagar, where the encounter has brewed discontentment among local Muslims, say Hashmi may face a ‘difficult time’ this time.

Ghazi is hopeful of attracting Muslim votes since the party took the lead to demand a ‘judicial probe’ into the encounter. But others say Samajwadi Party’s symbolism alone and Muslim cause cannot work if the candidate is not seen engaging with people’s day-to-day issues.

The other ‘heavyweights’ in the fray are BJP’s Surendra Bidhuri and BSP Delhi chief Brahm Singh Bidhuri, who belong to Gujjar community.

Surendra says anti-incumbency and resentment against Congress government will play a major role in his ‘definite victory’.

However, Brahm Singh may spoil his chances by creating a division among Gujjars’ vote. Brahm Singh hails from Madanpur Khadar village and is the husband of sitting local municipal councillor Kamlesh. “BSP has done enough for Muslims in UP and it will always fight for minority cause,” he says.

The candidates allege that Hashmi has done little during his 15-year-long tenure. “There is a long list.

Inadequate water supply, absence of good schools and health centres, poor electricity availability, sewerage problems and street lights are the issues the locals are facing,” Raza Haider, the CPI(M) candidate says.

Hashmi counters allegations saying people have voted for him in the past because of development work only and this time again their vote will prove it.