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CM nominees in Delhi face challenge from freshers
It is a battle between political stalwarts and fresh youngsters at the two prestigious chief ministerial constituencies of Delhi which go to polls on Dec 1.
It is a battle between political stalwarts and fresh youngsters at the two prestigious chief ministerial constituencies of Delhi which go to polls on December 1.
While Poonam Azad poses a challenge to Congress Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at the latter's Gole Market seat, BJP leader Madan Lal Khurana will have to defeat Alka Lamba from his traditional Moti Nagar constituency to demonstrate why he has won 10 out of 11 elections from there.
Although both Sheila and Khurana seem unfazed by the challenge for the moment, they would face immense embarrassment even if their political opponents bag votes anywhere close to their tally.
"By merely being a youth cannot make you a winner. You need to have done some political work," Khurana told PTI about his "daughter" challenger Alka, a former Delhi University student leader.
"Nursing an ambition is good for a youth, but you need to have some mission," he said, questioning what she has done for the constituency he has represented and "groomed" for decades.
Describing her as "an outsider", Khurana said, "Let her roam about in the constituency till December 1, then we will see her off."
But Alka, campaigning for a change, feels the older generation should make way for youngsters in the political arena.
Khurana has been "in politics for long. It is time for him to retire," she says, adding, she was happy to get an opportunity to "defeat" Khurana.
"Chodo kal ki batein, kal ki baat purani. Naye daur me likhenge hum milkar nayi kahani (leave the talk of past, it is old. In new age, we will write a new story)," recites Alka the famous Hindi film number as she goes about seeking votes.
Similarly, Poonam, wife of cricketer-turned-politician Kirti Azad, also aims at defeating Sheila at her Gole Market constituency by presenting the voters with an option of young versus the old besides highlighting "failures" of her rival.
Sheila has "been inaccessible and has not cared about her constituency," says Poonam, who aspires to avenge the defeat of her husband at the hands of Dikshit in 1998 polls.
Countering the charges of the "fresher", the Chief Minister says she has worked a lot for the constituency and "people are satisfied with my performance."
"People of my constituency realise the real work I have done here," she asserts.
Dikshit is banking on her "clean image and good governance" in the polls, saying "all-round development of Delhi making it a better place to live" will help her sail through.
