BJP, SAD join hands to take on congress, AAP in rajouri seat

New Delhi: Shunning their differences, the BJP and the Shiromani Akali Dal once again joined hands to put up a united front to take on the AAP and Congress by fielding Delhi unit SAD president Manjinder Singh Sirsa as their candidate for the upcoming bypoll in the crucial Rajouri Garden seat, which fell vacant after AAP legislator Jarnail Singh quit the seat to take on former chief minister Prakash Singh Badal in the recent Punjab elections. Mr Sirsa, accompanied by Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari, filed his nomination papers on Tuesday.

The saffron party and SAD (Delhi) came to consensus on Mr Sirsa after some senior leaders made it clear that if the two field their respective candidates, there were chances of both losing the Assembly seat. In 2015, the AAP had defeated the SAD-BJP combine candidate in Rajouri Garden. However, the seat was won by the SAD-BJP in 2013 Assembly polls. Rajouri Garden has been won by the Congress since 1993.

For the ruling AAP, the bypoll is a critical test of its popularity, while for the Congress, the outcome will be significant for its revival. The election will be held on April 9, days before the national capital votes to choose councillors for the three corporations on April 22. Tuesday was the last date for filing nominations.

The Congress has fielded Khyala councillor Me-enakshi Chandela, while the AAP has come up wi-th a new face — Harjeet Singh — for the bypoll.

Jarnail had got 54,916 votes, defeating Mr Sirsa by 10,036 votes in the 2015 Assembly polls (Rajouri Garden). In the recently held Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DGSGMC) elections, Mr Sirsa had defeated Paramjit Singh Sarna of the Congress-backed SAD (Delhi) group from Punjabi Bagh ward.

Rajouri Garden is dominated by around 50 per cent population of Sikhs and Punjabis. The Congress has fielded Khyala councillor Meenakshi Chandela as its candidate while the AAP has come up with a new face — Harjeet Singh — for the bypoll.

The Assembly constituency is a mix of a resettlement colony in Raghubir Nagar, unauthorised colonies, the middle class Tagore Garden and upscale Rajouri Garden.

Ms Chandela is a two-time councillor of Khyala, her husband Meghraj is also representing Vishnu Garden for the second time. These wards come under the Rajouri Garden Assembly constituency. If Meenakashi Chandela wins the poll, she will be the first Congress legislator in the current assembly. The party got decimated in the 2015 elections.

AAP’s Harjeet Singh was born and brought up in Delhi, he did his graduation from Delhi University and went on to form a successful transport business.