Elections bring even the dormant politicians with real aspirants out of their slumber. They congregate around the end of the street with their best white on and make it to the party headquarters with truck loads of hired crowd to display, a common sight to view during elections. Getting the electoral ticket and fighting an election is a mammoth task, let alone victory. For, one runs from the MLA concerned to the district MP to the state CM and even tries to influence the high command (National)—all tricks and cards are played well. Money influence visibly makes the difference on the ground.
Delhi’s Town Hall seems a long journey for the Congress as far as the MCD elections go. Besides, what happened in UP Assembly elections can well be felt in Delhi’s political corridors whether it be councilor’s election, assembly or parliamentary (Lok Sabha) elections due in 2014. Though the political temperature of Congress may be low ahead of the MCD elections, JP Aggarwal, a veteran Congressman and president of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, appears to be all the more confident than like ever before. “We have worked on the ground. Everyone in this city knows that we ran under the scorching sun, went about doing work for the people braving the blazing temperature of 45 degrees, not a joke.”
On being asked as to what strategy the party is making in the coming polls, the MP said, “Let time come, everything will be clear. We together will see that dekhiye kam dikhta hai, kam kiya hai aur aage bhi karenge (work is quite visible, it speaks louder, the party has done in the past and will keep it up in days to come).” As regards its agenda and manifesto, JP Aggarwal has a trait, he prefers asking questions to replying ; he questions the question. He either parries the question in a most diplomatic way or does not want to understand. He answers only to what he feels comfortable with. He recalls and relishes his day with the Congress and starts counting the party’s achievements in the same breath.
The party has seven committees headed by the MP, they look after the whole polling scenario. When asked on what basis the ticket is issued and how transparent the whole process is he said: “We get different lists from different MLAs of the area who endorse the candidate’s footing and recognition in the area, whether he can work for the people and the party as a whole. There is no discrimination in giving the tickets.” There came one more issue that’s of minority seats, the area which is thickly Muslim populated but there is no Muslim candidate on that seat. KA Ansari, a veteran Congressman and staunch supporter of the party’s ideology who remained with the party for decades, worked in all spheres from scratch had to return without the ticket. “I have worked for 40 plus years but the party did not take my efforts into account. Those who have no political past are going to take the lead. I do not understand why the party is influenced and why doesn’t it consider the merits”, Ansari averred. There are more a la Ansari, Munni Khatun, Haji Naseem, Imran Ansari, Lion Gulfam etc. They all lament the same cry.
But at the end of the day, the ticket is to be finalised by the MP and the CM only on the grounds that what the MLA concerned has done in that connection as pointed out by Aggarwal who has seen Delhi politics for generations. JP who disappoints none, remains busy attending every single candidate coming for the ticket and seeing him/her off at the gate with a shawl, flag or bandana with party’s symbol, his way. Talking of Sandeep Dixit, he is out on an official tour; moreover, he abstains from the controversy of any sort, whether it be election or admission.
How bumpy the road leading to Town Hall is. Wait and see!
By Shvveta Arora
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