East Delhi Lok Sbaha constituency, which once was represented by Congress stalwart Sheila Dikshit, has been in the BJP’s fold for the last two terms in 2014 and 2019. The Bhartiya Janta Party has replaced its incumbent MP Gautam Gambhir and has fielded ground worker Harsh Malhotra, while the Aam Aadmi Party has fielded Kuldeep Kumar, an MLA from the Scheduled Caste community of New Kondli in East Delhi, as a candidate on the seat schedule to vote on May 25. Both parties’ candidates are focusing their election campaigns on the developments carried out under their parties’ leadership in the past and are sharply targeting the corruption of the other.
Spread across the Yamuna floodplains, it is one of the most densely populated constituencies. Encompassing densely populated areas such as Seelampur, Shahdara, Gandhi Nagar, and Preet Vihar, this 100% urban electorate, predominantly Hindu (80%) with significant SC (15.45%) and Muslim (15%) communities, has mirrored the national political mood, swinging between the two major parties over the years.
The issues of national interest are vocal in the constituency, with candidates raising corruption issues. BJP’s Harsh Malhotra says that in the region’s election, our model of development is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and under his leadership, the central government has already provided significant benefits to East Delhi, such as transportation, health insurance, and free rations.