NEW DELHI: Delhi is home to nearly 17% of its total people, who have settled from the Purvanchal regions, including Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and their presence directly impacts the poll results in 35-40 assembly constituencies.
The ruling AAP has relied on the support of Purvanchali people in the last two elections for the 70-member Delhi assembly. However, this time, the BJP has devised a plan to appeal to voters who migrated from eastern UP, Bihar, and other states such as Jharkhand.
To increase its outreach to Purvanchali voters, the BJP’s central leadership has assembled teams of nearly 100 prominent leaders from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh for extensive campaigning in areas with large Purvanchali populations.
Harish Dwivedi, a senior BJP leader from eastern UP, has been tasked with deploying these leaders across Delhi to connect with Purvanchali voters.
The BJP has allocated two seats to its NDA allies, JD(U) and LJP(RV), under coalition politics, with leaders from these parties also participating in the ground campaign in areas with significant Purvanchali voter bases. According to a senior BJP source, the migrant Purvanchali voters are being targeted through door-to-door campaigns as they hold considerable influence in more than 35-40 assembly constituencies.
In addition to voters from UP and Bihar, the BJP leadership has engaged senior leaders from other states — Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Assam — to reach out to voters from these regions as well. “In total, more than 185 leaders, including 100 from UP and Bihar from these states, have been deputed,” said a BJP senior leader. The party has also fielded several Purvanchali candidates in Laxmi Nagar, Sangam Vihar, Vikaspuri and Kiradi.
Dwivedi, also the Assam BJP in-charge, held a meeting on Thursday with leaders from Purvanchal regions at the party headquarters, with BL Santosh and Tarun Chugh reportedly in attendance.
“The leaders from Purvanchal areas are engaging with people, particularly in areas that have been strongholds for AAP,” remarked a BJP leader.
NDA allies Nitish and Chirag roped in as well
The BJP has allocated one seat each to JD(U) and LJP(RV), under coalition politics, with leaders from these parties also participating in the ground campaign in areas with significant Purvanchali voter bases. According to a senior BJP source, the migrant Purvanchali voters are being targeted through door-to-door campaigns as they hold considerable influence in more than 35 to 40 assembly constituencies.
‘AAP can no longer take support base for granted’
A leader from Bihar, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that voters from the state, who had previously been influenced by AAP’s promises of free electricity and other freebies, have recently shifted their allegiance. “We are educating them on how AAP leaders, including Kejariwal, insulted them during the COVID-19 crisis. The AAP cannot take its support base for granted anymore,” he added.
