The Hindu : Parties field many young faces

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 26, 2003

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Parties field many young faces

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI NOV. 25. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress have fielded `Young Turks' in the electoral battle for Delhi. Many of them have held high positions during their student days and are now aspiring to graduate to the mainstream of national politics.

There are two former Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) presidents, Monica Arora from Malviya Nagar and Alka Lamba from Moti Nagar, in the fray alongside the Indian Youth Congress general secretary, Anil Bhardwaj, from Tri Nagar and the high-profile Poonam Azad from Gole Market.

The limelight is clearly on the Moti Nagar and Malviya Nagar constituencies where the two former DUSU presidents are making their maiden attempt to enter the Assembly. Ms. Lamba, who was the DUSU president in 1995, is pitted against the BJP heavyweight and former Chief Minister, Madan Lal Khurana, in the Moti Nagar constituency. Presently, the general secretary of the Mahila Congress, Ms. Lamba has mobilised students and women to campaign for her during the polls. Also the president of the National Students Union of India in 1996, the charming and energetic Congress candidate is determined to give a tough time to her opponent. She is happy over the fact that the party has decided to field her against the BJP stalwart and felt this would open more avenues for the younger generation in the coming days.

On the other hand, the young and energetic BJP candidate from Malviya Nagar, Ms. Monica Arora, is in direct fight with the former Minister and Congress candidate, Yoganand Shastri. Ms. Arora, popularly known as Monica Kakkar, was the DUSU president in 1993. She went on to become a Director in the Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) and holds the position till date. She is also making her maiden attempt at entering the Delhi Assembly and is giving her opponent a run for the money. Having the backing of the top brass of the BJP leadership, Ms. Arora, whose family has been closely associated with the RSS, is confident about her chances and accuses her opponent of having neglected the constituency during the past five years. She also makes it a point to rake up the issue of removal of Ms. Shastri from the Council of Ministers on alleged charges of corruption and is pleading with the electorate to look towards the future. Known for her oratory skills, she is raising the issue of poor roads, lack of water, electricity and poor lighting in the lanes and by-lanes.

As for Youth Congress leader, Mr. Bhardwaj, who is battling it out with the two-time BJP MLA and Chief Whip, Nand Kishore Garg, it is an opportunity to prove himself. Confident of making it to the Assembly, Mr. Bhardwaj is talking about lack of development in the constituency for the past decade as a major issue. Having held the position of the NSUI president during 1994-95, Mr. Bhardwaj feels that the opportunity provided by the party would help in evolving a second line of young leadership in the Capital. He is also talking about the need for the old generation to give way to the younger generation, a plank being used by almost all the young turks.

Another interesting battle on hands is in the Babarpur Assembly constituency where the young, Vinay Sharma of Congress is pitted against two-time BJP MLA, Naresh Gaur. Exuding confidence that he would emerge victorious, Mr. Sharma claims that his being young and also having the combination of being a Brahmin would ensure that he gets the votes of his community and that from the minorities.

There is the young Congress Councillor, Rohit Manchanda, who is contesting against the Delhi BJP vice president, Vijay Jolly from Saket. In fact, one of the youngest candidates, Sumesh Shoukeen, aged 28 years, of the Congress is trying his luck from the Palam constituency.

On the other hand, the BJP has also fielded some young faces that include, Sarbjit Singh, a Sikh riot victim, who has been fielded against the Delhi Transport Minister, Ajay Maken, from the Rajouri Garden constituency. Then there is the 37-year-old Poonam Azad who is contesting against the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit from Gole Market. There is also the journalist-turned-politician, Naveen Kumar, who is making an attempt to dislodge the Delhi Health Minister, A.K. Walia, from the Geeta Colony constituency. Others include, Rajpal Singh from Okhla, Raju Balmiki from Mangolpuri and Sunil Vaid from Trilokpuri.

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