BJP supporters burn crackers as they celebrate the party’s win in the Delhi Assembly Elections, on February 8, 2025.
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has managed to hit the right chord with Delhi’s Purvanchali voters in the State’s Assembly election, winning 70% of the seats dominated by these migrants from eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand as it returns to power in the capital after almost three decades.
Purvanchalis, who generally vote as a bloc, are estimated to account for nearly a third of Delhi’s electorate. Out of the capital’s 70 Assembly seats, 51 have significant Purvanchali populations. In fact, in 27 of these seats, the majority of voters are from Purvanchal. With political parties giving increasing attention to Purvanchali voters, Delhi got 10 lawmakers from the community in 2020 in comparison to just two in 1993.
Grand promises
The BJP promised to clean up the Yamuna and ensure the grand celebration of Chhath, one of the biggest festivals for the people of Purvanchal, involving a procession to the riverbank. The winning party also vowed to develop the riverfront as was done for the Sabarmati in Ahmedabad, and also build homes for migrants under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, a flagship housing scheme. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) banked on its freebies to woo the community, while the Congress promised to set up a full-fledged Purvanchal Ministry with a special provision in the State Budget for their welfare.
In the Assembly election, the BJP fielded four Purvanchali candidates, while its campaign in Purvanchali areas was fronted by Bhojpuri stars like Ravi Kishan, Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua, and Manoj Tiwari, as well as senior party leaders from the area including U.P. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The party also gave a seat each to two of its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which have their bases in Bihar, the Janata Dal (United) and the Lok Janshakti Party (Ramvilas), though both of their candidates lost.
BJP’s winning spree
All four of the BJP’s Purvanchali faces won their races. In Sangam Vihar, where over half of the electorate is Purvanchali, the BJP’s Chandan Choudhary defeated three-time AAP MLA Dinesh Mohaniya. The BJP also won the Vikaspuri Assembly seat with Pankaj Kumar Singh defeating three-time AAP MLA Mahinder Yadav. In Dwarka, Pradyuman Rajput managed to make a comeback as an MLA for the first time since 2013, defeating the AAP’s Vinay Mishra. In Karawal Nagar, Kapil Mishra won for the second time after 2015, but on a BJP ticket. He was earlier an AAP MLA.
Other BJP candidates also found success in Purvanchali-dominated constituencies. In Palam, the BJP’s Kuldeep Solanki secured victory against the AAP’s Joginder Solanki, while in Lakshmi Nagar, the BJP’s Abhay Verma won against the AAP’s B.B. Tyagi. In Matiala, the BJP’s Sandeep Sehrawat managed to defeat the AAP’s Sumesh Shokeen.
In Rithala, the BJP’s Kulwant Rana, who had represented the seat in 2008 and 2013, defeated the AAP’s Mohinder Goel. In Mangolpuri, Raj Kumar Chauhan, a four-time Congress MLA who contested on a BJP ticket this year, defeated the AAP’s Dharam Rakshak alias Rakesh Jatav. The saffron party also swept the Badli seat, with Ahir Deepak Chaudharyy defeating the AAP’s Ajesh Yadav.
AAP’s limited success
The AAP fielded 12 Purvanchalis faces, while its senior Purvanchali leaders like Sanjay Singh also campaigned for candidates across Delhi.
The AAP managed to win Burari and Babarpur, two Purvanchali-dominated constituencies, with Sanjay Jha and Gopal Rai securing their seats despite the strong saffron wave in the capital. The party also managed to retain Deoli, with Prem Chauhan defeating the LJP’s Deepak Tanwar, while the AAP’s Anil Jha managed to win the Kiradi seat. In Seemapuri, Veer Singh Dhingan won on an AAP ticket; he had previously won this seat in 1998, 2003, and 2008 as a Congress candidate.
The Congress fielded four Purvanchali faces, but failed to win a single seat in the Assembly election.
Published – February 08, 2025 08:44 pm IST
