It’s MLA vs ex-mayor
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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has fielded its Kondli legislator Kuldeep Kumar from the East Delhi parliamentary constituency. The son of a sanitation worker, Kumar first met Arvind Kejriwal during the India Against Corruption movement in 2012 and has been associated with the AAP since its inception. He spoke to Snehil Sinha and Karn Pratap Singh aboutlawandorder, theGhazipur landfill, and excise policy case.
The victory margin on this seat has traditionally been small. Do you expect a change this time?
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Kondli MLA says that after 10 yrs in East Delhi, the BJP has nothing to show in its report card; cites poor law and order situation in the area What will be your priority for East Delhi if you win from the seat?
In East Delhi, the biggest problem is that of law and order. We can see youngsters abusing drugs… instances of murder, molestation and rape cases are also high in our constituency. It is important for me to bring back a sense of safety among people. The MP is part of a district-level committee on law and order, but this panel has met very few times over the last five years, and incumbent MP Gautam Gambhir (from the BJP) hardly ever attended it. The Ghazipur landfill site also comes under the East Delhi area and our government in the state has worked a lot towards reducing it, which I will take forward. My priority will be to be available for my people as their son and brother, and bridge this gap between people and their MP.
The BJP won its second term from East Delhi in 2019. People thought that maybe one term was notenoughtofulfiltheirpromises, so they should be given another chance… But now after 10 years, they have nothing to show in their report card. Why did they change the East Delhi candidate? They knew that Gambhir did not work with the people… The second factor that will increase our victory margin is this time, we are in alliance (with the Congress). Third, the Centre thought that by arresting Arvind Kejriwal, they will be
BJP candidate Harsh Malhotra was mayor of erstwhile East Delhi Municipal Corporation. Do you expect a challenge?
The BJP announced its candidates about a month ago, but it is still organising introductory meetings. It is surprising that a person who is active among people needs so much introduction. If you do a survey, you will realise that nobodyevenknowstheBJPcandidate. Interestingly, he was a councillor from northeast Delhi and is contesting from east Delhi. This meansthattheycouldnotfindany local leader.
Will the alliance with the Congress work?
This election is being fought on very different grounds. It is a fight to save the Constitution and this country. So, it is not my fight or theirs. We all have same goal.
Several AAP leaders have been arrested for alleged irregularities in the excise policy 2021-22. Can this work against your party?
Election Interview
Many people did not believe that the AAP and Arvind Kejriwal were being troubled by the Union government, but they now clearly see the politics. A sitting CM is behind bars without any proven charges against him. They torturedourMLAs, triedtobreakand buythem, questionedthemsothat the government collapses.