(Image source from: Delhi contestants decoded)
As Delhites step out of their homes to cast their ballot today for their seven representatives for the 16th Lok Sabha, everyone is waiting with bated breath to see which of the three key political parties in the race - BJP, AAP or Congress - gets a thumbs up and booed down by the electorates.
As voters trickle in each constituency, let's focus on the key battles and the contestants from the seven important constituencies.
In New Delhi, Congress heavyweight and current incumbent MP Ajay Maken takes on BJP's spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi and journalist turned AAP member Ashish Khetan. New Delhi, which was the bastion of Congress, booted out former CM Sheila Dikshit last elections, who lost by a spectacular margin of 25,864 votes to AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal. But omind you, Khetan is no Kejriwal in terms of popularity. So it all boils down to the big fight between Lekhi and Maken.
In North-East Delhi, Congress stalwart and sitting MP JP Agarwal has been pitted against AAP's Professor Anand Kumar from JNU and BJP's Bhojpuri superstar Manoj Tiwari. In 2009 elections, JP Agarwal beat his opponent by over 200,000 votes. Given the anti-incumbency that Congress faces, wonder if it would be a smooth sail for Agarwal this time around as well?
In Chandni Chowk, Union Minister and current Congress MP Kapil Sibal is up for re-election against AAP leader Ashutosh, a former journalist and BJP's Delhi CM candidate Dr HarshVardhan. Can Harsh Vardhan unseat Sibbal at the wake of anti-UPA wave?
In South Delhi, the incumbent Ramesh Kumar fights opposite AAP's Colonel Devinder Kumar Sehrawat, and BJP's Ramesh Bhiduri. Both Ramesh Kumar and Bhidhuri have murky backgrounds.
A key constituency, East Delhi sees AAP's Rajmohan Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's great-grandson and noted historian oppose Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit and BJP candidate Mahesh Giri. It should be noted that before Dikshit, East Delhi was a BJP stronghold. So chances are that BJP could return to power here in 2014.
Sitting Congress MP Mahabal Mishra faces a challenge from Parvesh Singh Saheb of BJP and Jarnail Singh from AAP in West Delhi. For your information, Jarnail Singh is the same man who hurled a shoe at Chidambaram. Parvesh is the son of former Delhi CM from BJP Saheb Singh Verma.
Incumbent Congress MP Krishna Tirath takes on BJP's Udit Raj and AAP stalwart Rakhi Birla in North West Delhi. Birla won the Delhi Assembly election and handled the women's department in the 49 day AAP government.
The pre-poll surveys indicate that Congress might fail to repeat the miracle of 2009 when it cinched all the seven seats in Delhi. The grand old party of India will be lucky if it manages to bag even 2 seats. The real battle in Delhim is however, between AAP and BJP. Nevertheless, survey indicate that AAP can't repeat the stellar performance of 2013 Assembly elections.
AW: Suchorita Choudhury
