Caste equation takes centre stage in Timarpur Assembly segment

NEW DELHI: Ahead of Delhi Assembly elections of 2020, people are divided primarily between two parties in the national Capital – Aam Admi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party – as Congress is a weak contender.

Dilip Pandey from AAP, Amar Lata Sangwan from Congress and Surendra Singh Bittu from BJP are contesting from Timarpur Assembly Constituency slated to go to by polls on February 8, 2020.

Timarpur, which comes under North East Delhi Lok Sabha Constituency, is primarily known for housing many government colonies.

The constituency which is struggling with infrastructure related issues like lack of proper parkings and development is seeped with voters of mixed background though 2/5 of the voters are Dalits and Muslims. This constituency also has a large number of purvanchalis – people who hail from UP, Bihar, and Jharkhand.

As much as AAP may harp on ‘vote for work' caste equations play a key role not just in this constituency but in elections in general. Timarpur has a significant population of Sikhs and Punjabis.

The total number rof voters from this constituency is 2,02,153 while there are only 92,345 female voters and 1,09,792 male voters.

There are only 16 voters under the other category. Some of the areas in Timarpur are Indira Vikas Colony, Mukherjee Nagar, Wazirabad Village, Bhai Parmanand Colony, Gopalpur village, Nehru Vihar, GTB Park, Tagore Nagar, Mallikpur village and Vijay Nagar.

The Congress maintained a steady hold on the constituency as its senior leader, Surinder Pal Singh won consecutive elections between 2003 and 2013.

However, Singh lost to AAP'S Harish Khanna in 2013. In mid-term polls in 2015, AAP'S Pankaj Pushkar bagged the seat.

However, this time AAP dropped its sitting MLA and fielded Dilip Pandey, who had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

Delhi goes to polls on Februray 8 and results will be announced on February 11.