Kanwaria pins hope on Sahib Singh’s followers

BJP’s Northwest Delhi candidate, Meera Kanwaria strives to bond with Jats in this constituency, reports Anuradha Mukherjee.

For the BJP’s Northwest Delhi Parliamentary constituency candidate, Meera Kanwaria, the grouse of Jat voters in the rural belt was a major hurdle.

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Jats in this constituency are known to be loyal followers of Late Sahib Singh Verma, former chief minister of Delhi, a Mundka village lad. But with his son, Parvesh Verma, now campaigning with her, Kanwaria has reason to feel relieved, but is cautious still.

“It is true there was anger among people about Parvesh ji being denied a ticket. The people here are also very connected to Sahib Singh Verma. But he (Parvesh) is now a general secretary of the party and came for my nomination. The people in these villages are slowly coming around,” Kanwaria said.

Verma is set to join Kanwaria for a door-to-door campaign from April 24 to 26. “Since most people will be at home on the weekend, we have chosen these dates,” said a campaign strategist associated with Kanwaria. The BJP camp’s fear is not unjustified as most of its votes come from the rural belt, while Sajjan Kumar holds sway in unauthorized colonies, resettlement colonies and slums.

Verma had declared war on the BJP after being denied a ticket from West Delhi. In fact, the Jats of Delhi convened a khaap and declared that they would ensure the BJP loses in Delhi. After Verma was rehabilitated, he had been making appearances at the political-dos of candidates and even accompanying some in their padayatras.

Kanwaria, a Hari Nagar resident, is now hard pressed to project herself as a resident of the constituency and as someone linked to the rural connection with land.

“Recently, the farmers held a mahapanchayat on the land acquisition issue. They invited candidates from three major parties, but I was the only one who turned up,” she said.