How can Kejriwal solve Dalit politics in Delhi by 2025?
There are still more than two months to go before the parliamentary elections in the capital Delhi, but the Aam Aadmi Party has already begun laying out the political chessboard. On one hand, Arvind Kejriwal’s party is wooing voters through door-to-door campaigning. At the same time, the party does not want to leave any stone unturned to resolve the caste issue.
The Aam Aadmi Party’s biggest focus is Dalit voters in Delhi. To achieve this goal, the party has made two major decisions in the past two days. The AAP on Thursday nominated Dalit leader Mahesh Kheri for the post of mayor. With the help of AAP MPs, he was also elected as the Mayor of Delhi.
Arvind Kejriwal on Friday invited former Seema Puri MLA Veer Singh Dhingan to join his camp. Dhingan is considered a powerful Dalit leader of the Congress party in Delhi.
How powerful is Dhingan in Delhi politics?
Veer Singh Dhingan, MLA from West Mapuri, is believed to be close to Sheila Dikshit. Dhingan started his political career through the MCD Employees’ Union and won the Seemapuri seat in the 1998, 2003 and 2008 assembly elections.
Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal wrote in an article that we fought against Dhingan in Seema Puri from 2001 to 2011. The movement itself started there.
In the 2013 assembly elections, Dhingan was defeated by AAP’s Dharamveer. Dhingan’s star stopped shining brightly after that.
Anand and Gautam’s departure creates vacuum
In the 2020 elections, the Aam Aadmi Party had two big Dalit faces in Delhi. The first name among them is Rajendra Pal Gautam and the second name is Rajkumar Anand. Both served as ministers in the Kejriwal government, but by 2024, both had distanced themselves from the AAP.
With the departure of Gautam and RK Anand, there is a vacuum within the AAP regarding Dalit leaders. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the party had tried to fill this vacancy with the help of Kuldeep Kumar, but the party could not achieve much success.
How important are Dalits in Delhi, 2 points
1. 17% of the entire population of Delhi – The Dalit population in the capital Delhi accounts for about 17%. South Delhi has the largest Dalit population, accounting for about 30%. Similarly, the Dalit population in East Delhi is about 27%. The Dalit population in the capital Delhi exceeds 100,000, with 12 out of 27 desirs.
As per 2011 data, the maximum Dalit population in Saraswati Vihar is around 4,06,500. 1,07,500 Dalits live in Seelampur and 1,06,000 Dalits live in Seemapuri. These numbers are said to have doubled in the past 14 years.
2. 12 seats reserved for Dalits – The Delhi Assembly has a total of 70 seats, of which 12 are reserved for Dalits. The Aam Aadmi Party won all 12 seats in the 2020 elections, but this time things have changed.
In contrast to the AAP, the Congress this time has also set its sights on Dalit voters. At the same time, the BJP has become stronger than before. According to CSDS, the BJP secured 49% of Dalit votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
28% of Dalits voted for the AAP and 20% for the Congress. AAP does not want to make the same mistake as in the Lok Sabha elections.
Delhi holds elections for 70 seats in February
Elections for 70 seats in the Delhi Assembly will be held in February 2025. The main contest in the assembly elections is between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Congress is definitely trying to triangulate the entire race.
Thirty-six MLAs are needed to form the government in the national capital Delhi. This time AAP will represent Arvind Kejriwal. The PPP, on the other hand, is ready to fight under collective leadership.
