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Lok Sabha elections 2019: Traders want an MP who means business
While the BJP has repeated its tried and tested leader and sitting MP Harsh Vardhan, 64, Congress has fielded veteran leader JP Agarwal, 75. The Aam Aadmi Party has fielded first-timer Pankaj Gupta, 52.
Chandni Chowk, the smallest of all parliamentary segments in the national capital in terms of number of electors, is set to see an interesting battle with two major parties fielding their old guards from the seat for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
While the BJP has repeated its tried and tested leader and sitting MP Harsh Vardhan, 64, who is also Union environment minister, Congress has fielded veteran leader JP Agarwal, 75, who has represented the seat twice, and the Aam Aadmi Party has fielded first-timer Pankaj Gupta, 52.
For voters in the constituency, with a sizeable Muslim population and traders, major issues include sealing of commercial establishments, congestion and poor infrastructure.
Mohammad Nawaz of Sadar Bazar, who owns a utensils shop, said the ruling government’s policies such as introduction of GST and demonetisation have hurt the middle-class.
“People in the constituency have a connection with Agarwal, who has won from here twice and has worked on the ground. He may have a good chance this elections,” Nawaz said.
Addressing a group of locals after filing his nomination Tuesday, Agarwal said, “Infrastructure development is a major issue, in particular, in the Walled City.”
Vardhan said both the Congress and the AAP have become synonymous with promises that have not been kept. “We are confident that people will vote for the BJP which has worked for their welfare,” he said.
Gupta, too, had some voters counting on his party’s promise of taking up the issue of sealing.
Gupta said he has been working in the area for the past one year. “With the AAP, people for the first time will have a chance to vote for a party that could deliver change,” he said.
