Delhi polls: Matia Mahal candidate Asim Khan sees pro-Congress tilt

The Congress has fielded Asim Ahmed Khan — who served as a minister in the first Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government — as its candidate from the Matia Mahal segment for the upcoming Delhi assembly polls. Khan is up against AAP candidate Aaley Iqbal, son of current AAP MLA Shoaib Iqbal. However, Khan’s battle is not only against his former party but also against Arvind Kejriwal, AAP convenor and former Delhi chief minister.

On his past achievements, Khan points out that neither Shoaib Iqbal nor any member of his family have made significant contributions to the area. According to him, voters in the segment are eager to see the kind of development he delivered during his tenure, highlighting his efforts to address the area’s water crisis and resolving other pressing issues to ease residents' hardships.

He emphasises that Shoaib Iqbal’s primary weakness is his neglect of the constituency after winning the last election. This, Khan argues, has led to widespread anger among residents, which he believes guarantees his victory.

Khan also states firmly that there is a growing trend in favour of the Congress, particularly among the marginalised and minority communities of Delhi. He notes that Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi holds a special place in people’s hearts, as they have witnessed the failures of both Arvind Kejriwal's Delhi government and the BJP-led Union government. According to Khan, both parties have focused on "theatrics" rather than addressing real issues.

Khan’s tone becomes particularly sharp when discussing the Covid-19 pandemic. He criticises Kejriwal for blaming the Tableeghi Jamat Markaz for the spread of Covid-19, adding that had he been a minister at the time, he would have resigned immediately. He also expresses disappointment over the lack of support for minorities during the 2020 East Delhi riots and the protests against the CAA-NRC, calling it "deeply troubling".

Khan also expresses discontent with former Congress member Chaudhary Mateen, who left the party to join AAP, calling it "a mistake", and questioning what the Congress had failed to provide for Mateen, his son, and his daughter-in-law, and whether they had any principles at all.

However, he clarifies that his decision to contest the elections was not driven by anger, pointing out that he was cleared of all charges within a year, while prominent AAP leaders like Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, Arvind Kejriwal, and Sanjay Singh faced jail time, a fate he escaped.

According to Khan, Kejriwal's true face has now been revealed, which is why the former CM is making desperate promises, such as offering more money to women or salaries to priests and granthis. He notes that, ironically, the Delhi government’s own waqf board has failed to pay salaries to imams and muezzins for the last 17 months.

Khan also accuses Kejriwal of indulging in mere theatrics and expresses hope for a repeat of the 2015 election result, where he defeated Shoaib Iqbal by a margin of 26,000 votes. He believes the growing support for the Congress in the segment, combined with Shoaib Iqbal and his family’s failure to serve the public, will work in his favour.