Manish Chaudhry officially filed his nomination today as the BJP candidate for the Okhla Assembly. “This marks the beginning of building the future that every citizen has committed to. This time in Okhla, the BJP government is set to take shape,” he wrote on his social media timeline after submitting his papers, alongside a photo.
A former student leader at Delhi University, Manish Chaudhry has entered Okhla’s political battle, an area previously dominated by Congress and, for the last 10 years, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He is challenging incumbent Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan, who is seeking a third consecutive term with the AAP ticket. Since 2015, Amanatullah has won two elections, defeating Asif Md Khan and BJP’s Braham Singh in 2020 with a significant margin.
Manish Chaudhry’s wife, Nitu Chaudhry, is a three-time municipal Councillor from Sarita Vihar. Earlier both were with the Congress but later on joined the BJP.
Before filing his nomination, Manish Chaudhry spoke with the local media, and said: “I would like to thank the leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to contest as the BJP candidate from Okhla.”
When asked about the primary focus of his campaign, he said: “My only focus is development. I am contesting this election solely on the issue of development. Many things were never done, leaving the public in despair. People have been waiting for these works to be completed, and I am here to fulfill those expectations.”
Voting will take place on February 5, with results expected on February 8. BJP, Congress, AIMIM, and AAP are all competing fiercely.
“Look at the work that has been done — and the work that hasn’t. I will ensure all pending tasks are completed. From Shaheen Bagh to Aali Gaon, and from Taimoor Nagar to Batla House, no significant work has been done by AAP. The road I built stands as proof of my efforts. Sewer lines are either non-existent or poorly constructed. Overflowing sewers and lack of clean drinking water are major issues. The condition of the water supply through the Ganga pipeline is also poor,” he said.
When asked about the current political scenario, Manish said: “My fight is not with the AAP candidate. Over the past several months, I’ve visited the area and found widespread discontent with him. People are unwilling to vote for him. My real competition is AIMIM or perhaps Areeba, a well-educated candidate who might pose a challenge.”
Regarding Amanatullah Khan’s performance, he responded: “Go around and talk to the residents. Nobody is standing by Amanatullah. Wherever he goes, people gather to protest and ask, ‘What have you done? What improvements have you made?’ I feel I am receiving significant support from the Muslim areas this time. People are coming forward and pledging their votes. Yesterday, I visited Batla House, where I met an elderly gentleman who said, ‘I’m not voting for AAP; I’m considering pressing NOTA.’ I asked him to reconsider, promising, ‘I will ensure work is done in your area.’ After our conversation, he was convinced and said, ‘I’ve heard about your good reputation; now I’ll vote for you.’”
