JOIN USSom Dutt Sharma of the Aam Aadmi Party is confident of retaining the Sadar Bazar seat despite Congress fielding its campaign committee chief, Ajay Maken.
In the December 2013 elections, Sharma had gathered 31 per cent votes to defeat Congress’ Rajesh Jain, three-time MLA of the constituency.
Sharma told Deccan Herald that he has been working in the constituency with the knowledge that elections were scheduled this year, and that his hard work has been appreciated by locals.
“I was a rookie last time, but now I believe I have connected with people and I have full confidence that they will not betray my trust,” Sharma said.
The 37-year-old said that his popularity in this constituency was evident by the difference between crowd reception in his Monday’s rally and Maken’s Sunday rally.
“We all are aware that Maken is here just for political gain and would not be seen after the polls like all Congress and BJP leaders. Locals in the constituency gave him a lukewarm reception, but consider me as one of them, an aam aadmi,” Sharma said.
He said basic amenities are still missing in the constituency, but blamed it on the 16-year misrule of Congress.
In the 49-day government of Arvind Kejriwal, Sharma said he had highlighted how the constituency was ignored and was devoid of development.
“Our government did not have enough time to work on the promises that we made before the elections in 2013. We were also not a majority government, due to which many projects did not get the green signal. The scenario will change after we form the government next month,” he added.
On who he would consider as a threat to his post, Sharma said Bharatiya Janata Party’s Praveen Jain has support from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Modi is a national leader, but here people are looking for local development, which would be ignored again if the BJP is in power,” Sharma said.
On Maken, Sharma said the Congress campaign committee chief has distributed pamphlets in the constituency highlighting Maken’s achievements as a former Member of Parliament and Union minister. But the pamphlets do not list a single point on the party’s plan for the area or its people.
DH News Service