New Delhi, Of the seven Lok Sabha seats, the national capital too has its “swing” constituency — North West Delhi — that has swung between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since its creation after the delimitation in 2008.
On the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission of India, the North West Delhi Lok Sabha constituency was carved out. Reserved for the Scheduled Castes, the seat comprises 10 Assembly segments.
In 2009, officially the first Lok Sabha election for the North West Delhi constituency, Krishna Tirath of the Congress emerged winner.
In 2014, the BJP’s Udit Raj defeated the Aam Aadmi Party’s Rakhi Birla by more than 1,00,000 votes. Tirath, then sitting MP, finished third.
This year, none of these names are in the fray. Though a triangular contest, political pundits reckon that it will be largely between the BJP and the Congress on Sunday, when the constituency goes to the polls.
Udit Raj, the sitting MP has shifted to the Congress from the BJP, which named well known Punjabi folk singer Hans Raj Hans for the seat. A Padma Shri recipient, Hans started his political career with the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in 2009 but quit the party in 2014. He shifted to the Congress in 2016 and the same year joined the BJP.
The Congress has nominated Rajesh Lilothia, a former member of Delhi Assembly, who is serving as the Delhi Congress unit working president.
The AAP has named Gugan Singh Ranga, a former member of Delhi Assembly. He joined the AAP in 2017.