Political mercury in Delhi is on the rise as campaigning for municipal polls turns hectic with senior leaders hitting the streets canvassing for party candidates.
Political mercury in Delhi is on the rise as campaigning for municipal polls turns hectic with senior leaders hitting the streets canvassing for party candidates.
2,400 candidates, a large chunk of them Independents, are in the fray for the April 15 polls for the three municipal bodies -- South, North and East.
The main contenders are BJP and Congress, the ruling and opposition block respectively in the current Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) but smaller parties like Samajwadi Party and BSP are giving sleepless nights to them.
Though in public they make claims about clean sweep in the elections, leaders in Congress and BJP say in private that it is a keenly-contested polls and voters are keeping their cards close to the chest.
"We can't say for sure that this is the trend. Voters are tight-lipped and we are doing everything too woo them. We are wary of the under-currents," a local BJP leader said, a view echoed by Congress leaders.
Congress and BJP have already come out with their manifestos promising improved civic infrastructure and a transparent administration.
Both the parties are also tense about the rebel presence in some of the wards, which they believe will affect their chances in some of the areas. They have also expelled a number of local leaders to send a strong message to their cadre.
As the campaign entered a hectic phase, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and her cabinet colleagues, Union Sports Minister Ajay Maken and DPCC chief Jai Prakash Aggarwal have hit the streets.
From the BJP side, almost all Delhi leaders, including Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly VK Malhotra and Delhi BJP chief Vijender Gupta are on campaign trail.
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