New Delhi: Trilokpuri constituency in East Delhi is almost split down the middle between the Bharatiya Janata Party and Aam Aadmi Party even as Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party are also trying their lucks. While AAP leader and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has a lot of goodwill in the seat which consists of villages and unauthorised colonies, a section of the voters are backing BJP as they feel the area will benefit if the Delhi and Centre are ruled by the same party.
The area was hit by riots in October 2014 which has led to polarisation in several pockets even though the major issues of its residents is lack of basic facilities like proper roads, clean drinking water, cleanliness. Trilokpuri, a seat reserved for the Schedule Caste community, has several large and open drains flowing right outside the houses leading to accidents and sometimes even death of small children.
While the sitting MLA is Raju Dhingan of the AAP, most people hold both Congress and BJP responsible for the area's neglect and accuse them of not doing enough for them. Housewives complain that water is so dirty that they have to buy bottles or call for tankers resulting in huge financial drain.
With increasing price rise and inflated water and electricity bills, people say they find AAP as the only alternative but are also a bit apprehensive about the party's ability to govern. During his one-and-half-month stint as the chief minister, Kejriwal become a favourite in the lower class and poorer sections and people want to give him one more chance as they see him as the anti-corruption crusader.
"Only Arvind Kejriwal can do something for us as during his tenure water and electricity was very less and now they are 10 times. Price of essential items is increasing manifold. Roads are in bad condition and there has been no cleanliness drive," says Afroze, who is staying in New Ashok Nagar area of Trilokpuri for the last 25 years.
But her neighbours counter her saying Dhingan did not visit them after winning and BJP' Kiran Vaidya, wife of late MLA Sunil Vaidya, is the best bet. Even BSP's Dr Girish has some support and may spring a surprise if the votes are spilt between BJP, AAP and Congress candidate and former Congress MLA Brahm Pal and BJP candidate.
Trilokpuri has over 2 lakh voters with majority of them Valmikis (40 per cent) and other Dalits (20 per cent). Traditionally Congress suporters, this group is mostly with the AAP since 2013 although some of them also have moved towards the BJP after the October 2014 riots. BSP, too, has a strong cadre in the community which can hit the AAP.
Muslims also form a sizeable chunk and are around 20 per cent of the voters while the other communities make up the remaining 20 per cent. While Muslims are divided among AAP, BSP and Congress, the rest of the voters are backing BJP.
"BJP is the only party which helps us. It is in power at the Centre and if it forms government in Delhi, then Trilokpuri will develop. During riots its leaders helped us," say two elderly men residing in Block 36 of Trilokpuri.
But in Block 27 a sizeable chunk of auto drivers are still with AAP.
"AAP should come to power as it is the only corruption free party. When Arvind Kejriwal was in power, not single policemen used to disturb us and now the situation has changed. We have seen both Congress and BJP rule and we must give one chance to AAP," says Guddu, an auto driver.
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