It is turning out to be a triangular contest in RK Puram between Congress candidate Barkha Singh, the wife of sitting MLA Ashok Singh, BJP candidate Ajit Tokas and sitting councillor Hiren Tokas, who is contesting as an independent.
With an electorate of 1.26 lakh spread over areas like R.K. Puram, South Moti Bagh, Vasant Vihar, Anand Niketan and Shanti Niketan, this is one of the most prestigious constituencies of the city. R.K. Puram also has two villages and 20 slum clusters. The votes of the 67,000 government employees living here will go a long way deciding the fate of the candidates.
The Congress is projecting the development work done by Ashok over the past five years as a poll plank for his wife.
"Roads and streetlights in Sector 1 were repaired and an underground water tank was built in Munirka village," said Ashok. According to him Barkha is not a novice. She has been running an Anubhav Shiksha Kendra at DPS, R.K. Puram, where poor children are taught in the afternoons. "We will open such kendras in all 17 private schools here," she promises.
On the other hand, BJP's Tokas points out that the fact that the Congress denied the ticket to their sitting MLA puts a question mark on his performance. "Basic amenities like roads, water, power and electricity are the biggest issues here. If elected, I will improve them. Munirka village has a school up to class V only. I will provide the area with a senior secondary school," he said.
{{/usCountry}}On the other hand, BJP's Tokas points out that the fact that the Congress denied the ticket to their sitting MLA puts a question mark on his performance. "Basic amenities like roads, water, power and electricity are the biggest issues here. If elected, I will improve them. Munirka village has a school up to class V only. I will provide the area with a senior secondary school," he said.
{{/usCountry}}Independents councillors like Hiren Tokas, however, have little chances of making a dent in the vote share of the big parties. Another independent, Dr I.S. Mehta, is also getting some attention by focussing on issues like cleanliness.
The triangular contest has made choosing a candidate tougher for the voters. "The area still needs a lot of development. Very often it's only the posh areas that get the government agencies' attention while we languish," said a resident of R.K. Puram. For instance, the road behind Bikaji Kama Place, which also doubles up as a vegetable market, has been full of potholes for many years.