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Delhi Congress drafts in political heavyweights ahead of Assembly polls

Published: 18:28 EST, 27 August 2013 | Updated: 18:28 EST, 27 August 2013

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The Congress has made its strategy clear to ensure victory for the fourth time in the Delhi assembly polls which are around the corner.

The party has decided to field political heavyweights like Mohammad Asif, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Ram Singh Netaji, V. K. Monga and celebrity singer Daler Mehndi as candidates to ensure the support of Muslim, Sikh, Punjabi and Gujjar voters in the Assembly polls.

A party leader said various surveys had predicted the Congress would not win more than 30 seats. "All these leaders will play very important role in the coming election. They have huge support base in their respective areas and will certainly provide strong base to the party."

Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit with Haroon Yusuf (second from left) and Arvinder Singh Lovely (left) at the Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday

Majority of voters in west Delhi areas comprise Punjabi and Sikh voters and all the seats are under BJP. Both Hari Nagar and Tilak Nagar seats are with the BJP. The Congress thinks that if it fields Mehndi in any of the two seats, it will benefit the party.

Similarly, Asif Khan is a RJD legislator representing Sangam Vihar, Okhla, Jamia Nagar areas of south Delhi. Asif Khan enjoys huge support base in these places as these areas are dominated by Muslims. The party believes that people in these areas would vote for Asif Khan.

Similarly, Bidhuri and Netaji represent Gujjar voters from Badarpur and Tughlakabad areas. Bidhuri is two-time MLA from Tughlaqabad and Netaji is BSP MLA from Badarpur.

These areas are dominated by Gujjar voters. Party leaders said the party would be in position to garner the support of Gujjar voters.

V.K. Monga, who was earlier associated with the BJP, has a clean image in Krishna Nagar of east Delhi. He has joined the Congress. It has been expected that he would contest against BJP heavyweight and MLA Harshvardhan.