Delhi elections: Battle for Ballimaran shaping up to be a close fight

There is a meeting scheduled at the Farash Khana office of Haroon Yusuf, Congress candidate for the Ballimaran assembly segment (part of Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency) in the upcoming Delhi elections. People are milling about, the crowd consisting mostly of long-time supporters and local old-timers. But this is no ordinary gathering; it is intended to show the political significance of a candidate who has represented the segment for over two decades.

Yusuf, who was one of the 21 names announced by the Congress last week for the 80 assembly seats in Delhi, is no stranger to the political landscape. Having first won the Delhi assembly election from Ballimaran in 1993, he went on to serve for 22 years, securing victories in 1998, 2003, 2008, and 2013.

However, his streak came to an abrupt end in the 2015 elections, when Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Imran Hussain defeated him by a resounding 43,913 votes. Yusuf only managed 13.80 per cent of the vote share, while Hussain dominated with 59.71 per cent. The BJP's Shyam Lal Morwal came in second with 24.30 per cent.

Given the key positions Yusuf held in then chief minister Sheila Dikshit's cabinet — such as minister of food and civil supplies, or industry — the 2015 defeat left a scar. However, Yusuf remains resolute in his belief that the political tide will shift.

“What has the AAP government really done?” he asks, his voice firm. “Arvind Kejriwal's promises are nothing but empty words. He promised to make Delhi like London or Paris, but look at the state of affairs now. It’s worse than some villages,” he says, eyes scanning the room.

He doesn't stop there, lashing out at his rival, “What has Imran done for the people of his constituency? He's part of the land mafia here. All the builders must give him a percentage for any construction work in the area.”

The issues plaguing the assembly segment, according to Yusuf, run much deeper than politics. “Drinking water is a major concern. People don't talk about it because of the tanker mafia. The Jal Board water isn't drinkable, but their self-financing scheme forces people to buy bottled water,” he says, shaking his head.

Yusuf also voices concerns about the state of schools in the capital. “AAP has been in power for 10 years, and they've worked on less than 29 per cent of the schools in Delhi. If you don’t believe me, visit schools in Old Delhi, South Delhi, East Delhi, Okhla... No work has been done,” he says, his frustration palpable.

On the issue of electricity, Yusuf accuses the AAP of deceit. "Their claims about lowering electricity bills are a scam. Delhi’s power is the costliest in the country. The power purchase adjustment charge has gone up by 6-8 per cent, depending on the DISCOM, and there's now an additional 7 per cent pension surcharge. Congress used to give 100 units free, and then it was Rs 2 per unit. Now, it’s Rs 3 for up to 200 units, and it shoots up to Rs 8 per unit if consumption exceeds 1,200 units. It’s all a huge increase," he argues.

Yusuf also reflects on the power situation in Delhi, remembering the time when the BJP was in power. “In 1993, there were power cuts for 70-100 hours a week. Generators were a common sight in markets, and in homes, people relied on inverters. By 2004, a survey revealed a 94 per cent reduction in generator sales because there was steady power supply," he recalls.

“Arvind Kejriwal doesn't understand the history of Delhi. We have two schools of drama in the capital — one is the National School of Drama, and the other is the Kejriwal School of Drama," he adds with a wry smile.

Yusuf is candid about the Congress’ shortcomings too. “We didn't do much in terms of publicity during our tenure. Our publicity budget was only Rs 80 crore, while AAP’s is Rs 500 crore. They focus more on publicity than on actual work,” he underscores, pointing out the "unkept promises" of AAP, referencing the Punjab government’s failure to deliver on its promise of Rs 1,000 for girls, a pledge yet to be fulfilled three years since the government came to power. "Meanwhile, Congress governments in Himachal, Telangana, and Karnataka have honoured their manifesto commitments," he says.

Yusuf is particularly critical of the AAP’s latest promises. "Kejriwal promised Rs 2,100 for women in Delhi, but his cabinet passed a proposal for only Rs 1,000 last week. This is Kejriwal’s duplicity. This announcement came after elections in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, where the Ladli Bahin Yojana was seen as a ‘winnability factor’," Yusuf says, visibly agitated.

Kejriwal, however, clarified that the money would only be credited to the bank accounts of beneficiaries after the election. He also added that, in light of inflation, the government would increase the scheme to Rs 2,100 per month following the elections.

Some of Yusuf's confidence stems from the success of the Delhi Nyay Yatra, held from 8 November to 6 December, which reinvigorated Congress workers and demonstrated that it could still attract a crowd. “If all Congress workers come together, it won’t be difficult to defeat AAP,” Yusuf argues. Kejriwal, too, has been holding padayatras in the capital ahead of the poll, covering all 70 assembly segments.

However, local resident Mohammed Yunus expressed disappointment at the absence of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, despite announcements that he would attend. "People waited for a long time, but he didn’t show up, which was really disappointing," Yunus said.

Yusuf is also optimistic about the prospects of Sandeep Dikshit, son of Sheila Dikshit, who is set to challenge none other than Kejriwal for the New Delhi seat.

As Ballimaran prepares for the upcoming election, the local community is keenly observing the unfolding political drama. "This is the first tough fight we've seen in ten years," Ijaz Noor, a local resident, says. "Haroon Yusuf has a chance if he works hard. He’s spent the last three months here, and the old-timers are with him. But he needs to win over the younger crowd."

Yusuf’s image remains untarnished by corruption allegations, against which is Imran Hussain’s more accessible image within the community. “Yusuf will have to demonstrate that he is there for the people,” Noor adds. Clearly, the battle for Ballimaran is shaping up to be a closely contested one, with both candidates vying for the loyalty of a seemingly sceptical electorate.

In other news, former Lok Sabha MP Jai Prakash Agarwal’s son Mudit Agarwal will contest from Chandni Chowk, Aruna Kumari from Narela, Abhishek Dutt from Kasturba Nagar, and Ragini Nayak from Wazirpur.

Since 2015, Congress has struggled to secure seats in the Delhi assembly elections, having been voted out in 2013 after 15 years in power under Sheila Dikshit’s leadership.

The announcement of the Congress candidate list came amidst speculation of a possible alliance with AAP, which is part of the INDIA bloc. However, both Delhi Congress and AAP leaders have firmly stated that no such alliance is on the cards for the upcoming election. The AAP has already released two candidate lists, while the BJP is yet to announce its list.