New Delhi, Jun 5 (IANS): The BJP is all set to make Rajinder Nagar Assembly bypoll a contest between local and outsider.
The AAP has fielded Durgesh Pathak, who contested the 2020 Assembly polls from Karawal Nagar Assembly constituency, while the BJP has fielded former councilor from one of the wards in the area Rajesh Bhatia.
The BJP started by pointing out that Bhatia, a former BJP state unit general secretary, is a local and has been doing public service for years as a worker and elected representative during his five year term as municipal councilor. The BJP said that the AAP has made Pathak, an imported leader its candidate from Rajinder Nagar who was earlier rejected by people of Karawal Nagar.
The Delhi BJP also alleged that the AAP is only fielding candidates who lost previous election from Rajinder Nagar Assembly. Delhi BJP spokesperson Aditya Jha told IANS that earlier AAP fielded Raghav Chadha, who had lost the Lok Sabha election from South Delhi and now Arvind Kejriwal fielded Pathak, who lost from Karawal Nagar.
"AAP always sends a candidate who has been earlier rejected by the people in other parts of the city to Rajinder Nagar. But this time, the people of Rajinder Nagar will give befitting replies to outsiders. It's a contest between local and outsider and people will choose the one who stays and stands with them, not a visitor who just came a few days ago ," Jha said.
Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta said that the BJP has always been trying to understand and solve the misery and pain of the people.
"Even in the Rajinder Nagar bypolls, the BJP has given such a candidate who is fully aware of each and every street area and problems of the constituency. Rajesh Bhatia always stands with the people. Whereas the AAAP has made such an imported leader (Pathak) its candidate from Rajinder Nagar who was earlier rejected by the people of Karawal Nagar," Gupta said.
The bypoll was necessitated after AAP's Chadha resigned from the Delhi Assembly after he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Punjab. Polling will be held on June 23 and counting of votes will take place on June 26.