The Congress Government in Delhi, led by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, is fighting deep rooted anti-incumbency using “measures” it had taken to “bring development” to the “ghettos” of migrants, particularly those from the Eastern States.
The migrants from ‘Poorvanchal’, whose number is pegged at about 4 million, are considered to be the largest vote bank in the State. They have a presence in all the 70 constituencies.
The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Aam Aadmi Party are also giving a tough competition to the Congress in wooing migrant voters.
One of the key reasons for the Congress’s 2008 victory is a promise ahead of the elections that the Government will recognise 1,600 unauthorised colonies in the State.
Recognition of colonies
Since then Dikshit and Pradesh Congress President J.P. Agarwal were actively present in the Chhath Puja celebrations at various centres along the banks of the Yamuna River. In the 2009 elections, the party fielded Mahabal Mishra, a migrant Congress worker, to the Lok Sabha to cement its ties with the migrants.
However, in 2012, in the first election after trifurcating the Municipal Corporation of Delhi into North Delhi Municipal Corporation, South Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation, the Congress could not win even one Municipal Corporation. It lost all the three to the BJP.
It’s inability to keep up its word and develop the regularised colonies were seen as one of the reasons for the defeat.
Then, Dikshit expedited the works for regularising such colonies. 895 colonies have so far been regularised. When the then Urban Development Minister, A.K. Walia posed certain questions on this process, he was relocated to another Ministry and the Chief Minister’s lieutenant Arvinder Singh Lovely was given the charge of Urban Development.
Economic zone
Rahul Gandhi had said in one of his election rallies that Delhi is a State where people from all States can migrate without any fear. The Congress Party has promised to create a separate common economic zone for the National Capital Region. The party believes that such a zone will help Delhi accommodate more migrants with decent jobs. The Congress claims that such a zone will make Delhi the hub of economic activities too.
The BJP has also promised several amenities to migrant labourers.
“I believe that migrants in Delhi have contributed to the development of GDP, although the Congress considers them a burden. We cannot ignore this,” BJP President Rajnath Singh said recently at a press conference.
The Aam Aadmi Party is also not falling short. It went all out to woo the autorickshaw drivers, who are mostly migrants from the neighbouring States. “Our effort will be to improve the living standards of poor labourers. Both the Congress and the BJP are taking just token measures,” says AAP’s Manish Sisodia.
Holding ground
Despite the anti-incumbency wave, if the Congress manages to hold its ground, it will be because of the support it enjoys among the migrants. One possible threat for the Congress is neither the BJP nor the AAP, but the Bahujan Samaj Party which has strengthened its base among the migrants and managed some seats in the municipal corporation.
A hoarding of the Congress says: “Why should I change a Government that changed my life?” The Congress believes that migrants will not desert the party despite failure to keep its promises and develop basic infrastructure in their areas.