BJP’s West Delhi candidate files her nomination papers

Sehrawat’s nomination affidavit showed she had moveable assets worth ₹1.30 crore and immovable assets worth ₹2.77 crore

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Lok Sabha candidate for West Delhi, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, on Thursday led a roadshow from Janakpuri to Rajouri Garden, where she filed her nomination papers for the upcoming general elections.

Kamaljeet Sehrawat (sitting on the truck) — BJP candidate from West Delhi constituency — leads a roadshow before filing her nomination papers at Vikas Puri on Thursday. (Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo)

Sherawat undertook the 6km roadshow from A-1 block in Janakpuri to the district magistrate’s office in Rajouri Garden, during which she was accompanied by Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri, BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva and BJP Delhi Lok Sabha in-charge Om Prakash Dhankar.

“I am here to thank the top leaders in my party for showing me their trust and support. I also want to seek the blessings of the people of west Delhi,” said Sehrawat, adding that people will reject the Aam Aadmi Party, and that there will be no sympathy votes for jailed chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. Sherawat was also joined by Rajasthan chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma midway through the roadshow.

Sehrawat’s nomination affidavit, filed on Thursday, showed she had moveable assets worth ₹1.30 crore and immovable assets worth ₹2.77 crore. The immovable assets include two commercial spaces in sectors 6 and 19, Dwarka, and two inherited agricultural plots in Sonepat, Haryana. Her highest qualification is an MA in commerce from Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla in 1995.

The West Delhi constituency has 10 assembly segments — Madipur (SC), Rajouri Garden, Hari Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Janakpuri, Vikaspuri, Uttam Nagar, Dwarka, Matiala and Najafgarh, making it a diverse mix of both rural and urban voters. The seat was won by BJP MP Parvesh Verma during the last elections, who had a winning margin of nearly 570,000 votes.

6km-long roadshow

Hundreds of party workers and supporters took to the streets decked in party colours along the Najafgarh Road on Thursday, even as Sehrawat waved to the public from atop a small tempo truck.

People also showered rose petals as the convoy made its way through Janakpuri, Tilak Nagar, Subhash Nagar and Rajouri Garden while chanting “Jai Shri Ram” and “Kamal ki Jeet... Kamaljeet”.

People on the ground said they had come to show their support for Sehrawat, who has been effective as an MCD councillor. “I have come from Dwarka, where Sehrawat has done a lot. I am sure she will do justice to West Delhi as well. She is also highly approachable and people will benefit once she becomes MP,” said Vikas Bhadana, 32, of Dwarka Sector 9.

The roadshow culminated around 12.30pm. However, both carriageways of the Najafgarh Road were blocked due to party vehicles and trucks waiting for Sehrawat and her convoy, leading to traffic snarls.

Nitin Kumar, 38, who was delivering goods on a tempo truck from Karol Bagh to Dwarka Mor, said it took him nearly two hours from Rajouri Garden to reach Janakpuri.

“Traffic was not moving at all and we got to know a roadshow is taking place. Had I known earlier, I would have taken an alternative route,” he said.

Sehrawat is up against the INDIA bloc’s candidate Mahabal Mishra, who is yet to file his nomination papers for the seat. Mishra had contested from the same seat last year too, but as a Congress candidate.

The last date for filing nominations in Delhi is May 6. The nominations will be scrutinised on May 7. Nominations can be withdrawn by May 9, and all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi will go to polls on May 25.

Responding to Sehrawat’s remarks, AAP chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said BJP and their leaders are currently shaken up as there is backlash from the people of Delhi over the arrest of the CM.

“The people of Delhi are aware that BJP candidates are nothing but mere puppets, who enjoy privileges extracted from the toil of hardworking citizens, only to be replaced by newer puppets every five years,” said Kakkar.