Purvanchali Voters: The Key to Delhi's Assembly Elections

As the Delhi assembly elections approach, both AAP and BJP are focusing on the influential Purvanchali voter base. AAP has formed a task force to engage these voters, while BJP has mobilized Purvanchali leaders. The community's growing dominance could decisively impact the 2025 election outcomes.

With the Delhi assembly elections on the horizon, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has assembled a dedicated task force to woo Purvanchali voters living in the capital. Party sources reveal that seven teams have been established under the guidance of leader Sanjay Singh, aimed at covering all seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi.

The primary focus of these teams is to connect with Purvanchali residents and underscore the BJP's purported opposition to them, according to insiders. This move follows a BJP spokesperson's apology for remarks against an AAP MLA, which the AAP hopes to leverage to sway Purvanchali support.

Sanjay Singh has been reportedly holding multiple meetings with members of this task force throughout Delhi, with local meetings also being conducted to reinforce this strategy. To counter AAP's efforts, the BJP has crafted its own strategy by enlisting over 100 leaders from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to engage the Purvanchali electorate in Delhi.

Harish Dwivedi, former MP and Assam BJP in-charge, is spearheading these efforts as the coordinator, and BJP leaders from Eastern India are soon entering the electoral fray. Purvanchali voters, many from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Jharkhand, significantly affect 27 of Delhi's 70 assembly constituencies.

This demographic's prominence is underscored by their substantial presence, comprising 25 to 38 per cent in some areas, leading political parties to prioritize Purvanchali candidates. As both BJP and AAP pitch for Purvanchali confidence, this voter bloc is set to be crucial in the 2025 assembly election outcomes where 699 candidates vie for 70 seats.

The Congress, having governed Delhi for 15 years, faced crushing defeats in the last two elections. AAP has dominated by securing an overwhelming majority with 67 and 62 seats in the 2015 and 2020 assembly elections respectively, while BJP lagged behind.

(With inputs from agencies.)