Unlike the 2004 elections, the coveted Chandni Chowk seat might be tough for the Congress this time, as there are many sport spoilers for the party.
Shoaib Iqbal, national vice-president of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), has refused to withdraw his nomination for any Congress candidate except Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“I will not withdraw my nomination in any case. The consideration was just made for the Prime Minister, else the party is prepared to give a tough fight to all including Congress,” Iqbal said.
Meanwhile the LJP, which professes of a strong vote base in Chandni Chawk, is claiming that the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Janata Party (RJD) would support it.
It must be mentioned that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has also fielded a Muslim candidate from the constituency.
Shoaib Iqbal, national vice-president of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), has refused to withdraw his nomination for any Congress candidate except Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“I will not withdraw my nomination in any case. The consideration was just made for the Prime Minister, else the party is prepared to give a tough fight to all including Congress,” Iqbal said.
Meanwhile the LJP, which professes of a strong vote base in Chandni Chawk, is claiming that the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Janata Party (RJD) would support it.
It must be mentioned that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has also fielded a Muslim candidate from the constituency.
The area has 13.4% Muslim voters, while the reserved and OBC voters constitute 35%. The Punjabi and Sikh voters are 17.5%.
However, delimitation can affect the Congress’ vote bank as many parties are wooing Muslim, Punjabi, SC and OBC voters. It might be recalled the Congress had lost the seat in 1998, as a major chunk of its votes went to LJP’s Shoaib Iqbal. BJP candidate Vijay Goel had won from the constituency. Goel won with a margin of just 1,995 votes while Shoaib Iqbal had polled 52,721 votes.
While in 2004 the Ram Vilas Paswan-led party had supported the Congress.
The BJP, therefore, is counting on the BSP and the LJP candidates to cut into the vote base of the Congress. BJP candidate from the constituency and MCD Standing Committee chairman Vijender Gupta hopes to cash in on political clash between parties.
However, Iqbal said the party would not help the saffron party in any way. “The Congress must ensure that the BJP does not get any credit. Congress will have to show the stand of the UPA government in terms of what it has done in the last five years,” said Iqbal.
However, apart from Chandni Chowk, LJP has not announced any candidate from South Delhi, New Delhi, North East and East Delhi.
URL- http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090331/delhi.htm#7
I appreciate the strong stand of the LJP leader as he is confident of his win and should not succumb to these pressures
ReplyDeleteI agree with Shalini, LJP led by Mr. Paswan has an army of fair and just leaders who have enherited the strong and independent charater of the party sumpremo........
ReplyDeleteGetting a muslim candidate for the Chandani Chowk seat is an intelligent decision and I think LJP would bag this seat.........but we cant ignore an experiened leader like Kapil Sibal, I think it would be a tough competition
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting to see how long ignored regional parties have started to play significant role in the Lok Sabha Elections and are ready to give tough competition to the biggies like BJP
ReplyDeleteIts great to hear that LJP is trying to give a close fight to its competitors in their home only.
ReplyDeleteI just want to see old Delhi flourish......and would support a leader in whom I see a bright future for my area.....
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