Congress keen to increase vote share in bypolls

After facing humiliating defeats in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the Congress is leaving no stone unturned to ensure its vote share goes up in the May 15 byelections in all the 13 municipal wards in the national capital. For the first time, the party has given responsibility of each polling booth to its councillors, former legislators and parliamentarians and district presidents. The main purpose of making its leaders accountable for each polling booth is to ensure that the party is able to rope in all its resources to improve its vote share.

A source said that the party leadership has made it clear to its local leaders that the bypolls are not only relevant for their own political survival, but will set tone for the future Assembly elections in other states. Municipal elections are scheduled for all the 272 wards in the city in 2017. “The outcome of the bypolls is going to be politically significant for the survival of all local Congress leaders,” a city leader told this newspaper.

The Congress and the BJP will face the AAP for the first time in the municipal polls. If the two national parties are unable to improve their vote share, it will be a clear indication that the AAP will stay longer in the Delhi politics. And if the AAP is able to repeat its Assembly poll performance in the municipal byelections, it is definitely going to boost its chances in the Assembly elections in other states, including Punjab.

After remaining in power for 15 consecutive years, the Congress was not able to retain even a single seat in the 70-member Delhi Assembly and the BJP was able to win just three seats. Its vote share was far better than the Congress in the last Assembly elections.

In the Assembly elections, the Congress was not able to secure even 20 per cent votes in any of the 13 municipal wards. While the party recorded its highest vote share of 17 per cent in the Ballimaran municipal ward, it was reduced to just 2.89 per cent votes in the Shalimar Bagh North ward. On the other hand, the saffron brigade was able to secure a maximum of 39.83 per cent votes in Khichripur ward and lowest of 21.18 per cent votes in the Ballimaran ward.

The Aam Aadmi Party had stunned one and all by logging the maximum of 70.84 per cent votes in Tehkhand ward and low of 45.34 per cent in Khichripur ward.

Political analysts are of the view that there will be a triangular fight in 11 wards and a direct contest between the Congress and the BJP in Qumuruddin Nagar and Shalimar Bagh North wards. But insiders in the Congress think that the party will have an edge over its rivals in Qumuruddin Nagar, Shalimar Bagh North, Ballimaran, Munirka and Jhilmil wards.