The date of the 2022 MCD elections in Delhi is yet to be announced, but political aspirants have already begun their campaigns — not only to win the hearts and minds of residents, but also to impress their parties’ top leaders in hopes of securing a tickets.
The aspirants are in a rat race, particularly in two Muslim-dominated wards — Abul Fazal Enclave and Zakir Nagar — which have been reserved for women.
With both sitting Councillors — AAP’s Wajid Khan and Congress’s Shoaib Danish — facing anti-incumbency, opposition parties see a strong opportunity to secure a ticket and win the polls. As a result, the locality is gripped by election fever, with aspirants spending heavily on posters, social media promotions, and door-to-door campaigns so that they can get tickets.
“Many ticket seekers, who had been absent from the ground for the past five years, are now suddenly raising issues like garbage, water shortages, and poor road infrastructure in Okhla,” said one local observer.
According to political watchers, ticket hopefuls from all parties — including AAP, Congress, and BJP —have gone into overdrive, defacing the area with posters and banners, and undertaking social work initiatives to appeal to voters.
Who will get the ticket remains uncertain, but competition among party members is intense, with no one willing to concede an inch to their rivals. With the ward reserved for women, male aspirants are now seen campaigning on behalf of their wives. Some are keeping their strategies closely guarded, said another observer.
Wajid Khan’s close associate, Saud Khan, told the OT that if the ward is reserved for women, chances are high that Wajid’s wife might take a political plunge. However, the portal was unable to verify the authenticity of this claim, as many are keeping their fingers crossed until the last moment.
On the other hand, Shoaib Danish, who has dominated the Zakir Nagar ward for more than 10 years, is also toying with the idea of keeping the seat in the family by fielding his wife, Nazia Danish, a social activist, in the upcoming election. He is from the Congress.
Unbothered by whether the wards will be reserved for women, many male local leaders remain in the fray. From the Congress, Advocate Aarfa Khanam is also seeking a ticket from the Abul Fazal Enclave ward.
According to sources, there are chances that former Congress MLA Asif Md Khan might seek a ticket for his daughter, Areeba Khanam, from the Abul Fazal Enclave ward. Another strong contender for the Congress ticket from the same ward is veteran Congress leader Parvez Hadhmi’s daughter-in-law, Ishrat Jahan—an accused in the Delhi riot case and currently out on bail.
Political observer Javed Khan said it is too early to predict who will get the ticket from Congress, BJP, AAP, or any other party, but there is a rat race for party tickets, which shows that people are eager to become leaders. “If both the seats are reserved for women, it will be interesting to see who the candidates will be. Okhla needs educated women candidates who can work and lead from the front,” he said.
