AAP receives boost for Chandni Chowk constituency

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday got a booster dose for its Chandni Chowk constituency, especially Matia Mahal, with local Congress and BSP leaders joining the party.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday got a booster dose for its Chandni Chowk constituency, especially Matia Mahal, with local Congress and BSP leaders joining the party.

Mohammad Asim Khan, who had fought the municipal election in 2012 on Congress ticket from Jama Masjid area, an area under Chandni Chowk Parliamentary constituency, led a bunch of his supporters and Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) Abdul Aziz Shah, who was actually slated to be the party's candidate for the forthcoming election, joined the party at its Hanuman Road function.

The walled city area with a dominant Muslim population was a weak link in a way for the party during the 2013 Delhi assembly election. However, post election result, the community has been indicating a positive swing for it.

Welcoming the leaders into AAP fold, Ashutosh, the AAP's candidate-designate for the Chandni Chowk seat, said: People are sensing the mood in Chandni Chowk area. These are honest people and worked on ground."

Mirza Javed Ali, chief of Congress' Chandni Chowk district Congress committee, however, was not amused. "People like these keep coming and going. Congress is rock solid and will not be affected by it. Whatever, these people had to gain from us, they had it … now they are possibly looking for something else. Soon they will realise their mistake."

Three sitting councilors – one each from BJP, BSP and JD (U) – and a BJP local office bearer from Matia Mahal and Ballimaran areas had also joined the AAP last week.

Of the 10 assembly seats falling under the Chandni Chowk Parliamentary constituency, Shoaib Iqbal was the lone winner from his Janata Dal (United) party on the Matia Mahal seat during the December 2013 assembly elections. The AAP had marked a spectacular debut with four seats while the BJP followed with three seats and the Congress just two.