Jasola Village in Okhla wore a festive look on Sunday, adorned with BJP flags and posters. BY Sanskriti Chandel and Adeeba Jamal.
A large house became the centre of attention as numerous local residents gathered to catch a glimpse of their popular leader, Manish Chaudhry.
The BJP recently nominated Manish Chaudhry as its candidate for Okhla, a Muslim-dominated constituency in Delhi, which will head to the polls on February 5, 2025, with vote counting scheduled for February 8, 2025.
Outside the house, the rhythmic beats of drums filled the air, while women and children waited eagerly with garlands to welcome him.
A large crowd gathered at Manish’s home, raising slogans like “Long live Manish Chaudhary!” One resident, wearing a saffron scarf, told The Okhla Times that their support for Manish stemmed from his contributions to the locality. However, when questioned about the area’s broken roads, the resident responded that road maintenance falls under the purview of the MLA.
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A woman supporter said she will back BJP and Manish Chaudhary. “We don’t want free electricity and other freebies from the AAP Government. My children work hard to earn livelihood so I request the government to end freebies for Delhiites as it is spoiling them. If the government wants to do something they should create more jobs,” she said.
After a brief wait, Manish Chaudhry arrived with his supporters, who enthusiastically chanted slogans in his favour. After spending a few moments with the elders at his house, he set off for a walk through the area, rallying support for his campaign. His wife, Nitu Chaudhary, a Councillor for the Sarita Vihar ward for the past 10 years, accompanied him during the rally.
Currently, Amanatullah Khan of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) serves as the MLA for Okhla and is seeking a third consecutive term in the upcoming elections. Khan has won the last two elections with significant margins, having secured 1,30,367 votes in the 2020 election against BJP rival Braham Singh’s 58,540 votes. Since 2015, Khan has consistently emerged victorious in Okhla, a constituency that was once considered a Congress stronghold.
Before joining the BJP, Manish and his wife, Nitu, were affiliated with the Congress. Manish is not new to politics. During his student days, he held a position in the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) and graduated from Dyal Singh College.
A familiar face in Okhla, Manish also comes from a notable family. His father, a graduate of Jamia Millia Islamia, represented India in the Olympics in the wrestling category.
Although campaigning has just begun, many political observers predict a triangular contest in Okhla among the Congress, AAP, and BJP. The incumbent MLA, Amanatullah Khan, faces the challenge of anti-incumbency. Adding to the dynamic is Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM, a new entrant, which could play the role of a spoiler in the two Muslim-dominated wards of Zakir Nagar and Abul Fazal Enclave, said one political observer. They believe that AIMIM’s candidate, Shifaur Rahman — currently in jail — could eat into Amanatullah Khan’s vote share. Such a scenario might benefit the BJP by splitting votes, some local residents pointed out.
In the other three wards of Okhla, the contest is expected to be more direct, primarily between BJP and AAP. Meanwhile, a resurgent Congress poses a potential challenge. However, as of the time of reporting, the Congress has yet to announce its candidate, leading to frustration among its supporters.
(Report filed by Sanskriti Chandel and Adeeba Jamal, with video editing by Anjum Hayat. All are journalism students in Delhi.)
