Delhi polls: How Atishi narrowly kept Kalkaji — freebie focus, promises kept

Atishi secured 52,058 votes against BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri’s who got 48,478 votes in the southeast Delhi constituency

For a decade, Kalkaji stood as a microcosm of Aam Aadmi Party’s Delhi story — a constituency where its promise of bridging class divides through service delivery found resonance from slums to gated colonies. On Saturday, it became its rare redoubt, as chief minister Atishi emerged one of the few party bigwigs to retain a constituency.

Atishi after her victory on Saturday. (PTI)

The southeast Delhi constituency, which witnessed one of the capital’s most bitter campaigns, saw Atishi secure 52,058 votes against BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri’s 48,478 after nail-biting counting where the outgoing CM was trailing for nine of the 12 rounds.

The constituency is a story of stark socio-economic contrasts. From the affluent gated communities of Friends Colony and Maharani Bagh, and the commercial powerhouse of Nehru Place, to the densely populated slums of Govindpuri and Sriniwaspuri, voters in Kalkaji had a range of concerns.

Saturday’s counting reflected the constituency’s divided loyalties. Atishi trailed by 1,149 votes after the first round, with the deficit widening to 3,231 by round six. It wasn’t until the tenth round that she took a narrow lead of 989 votes, holding on through the final counts that concluded around 1 pm.

The victory came after a particularly aggressive campaign. Bidhuri, who received campaign support from Union home minister Amit Shah through local rallies, drew criticism for personal attacks on Atishi, including targeting her surname “Marlena”. The constituency also saw multiple violations of the Model Code of Conduct, with both candidates being booked - Atishi for moving with supporters after campaign hours, and Bidhuri’s family members for similar violations. Two AAP members were also booked for allegedly assaulting a police constable.

Emerging from the counting station after 2pm, Atishi struck a sombre note despite her victory. “I want to thank the people of Kalkaji for putting their trust in me. I want to congratulate my team, who fought and won against BJP’s hooliganism and violence,” she said, adding, “I won my seat, but this is not time to celebrate... The war against the BJP will continue.”

Local residents suggest AAP’s ground-level delivery of promises may have helped secure the win, despite lingering infrastructure issues. “We can trust AAP because they have delivered on their promises. Though roads are still an issue, a lot of people are happy because we get water on time and good treatment from Mohalla clinics,” said Shraddha Saxena, 64, a homemaker.

“AAP has not only delivered freebies but also worked towards overall development of the area including clinics, parks and markets,” she added.