The Hindu : New Delhi News : Old war horse against ‘outsider’ in Uttam Nagar

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Old war horse against ‘outsider’ in Uttam Nagar

Madhur Tankha

Mukesh Sharma says he has close link with the area
“I won the Best MLA Award in the Assembly in 2001”
“I am working here for 10 years,” says Pawan Sharma
His litany of woes: No water, no power, no hospital

NEW DELHI: Active in politics since his student days, Mukesh Sharma, the sitting Congress MLA from Hastsal who has shifted to Uttam Nagar after his constituency became non-existent due to delimitation, says he is confident of victory in the Assembly elections. He is reassured by the fact that he is a three-time MLA from the area while his arch-rival Pawan Sharma of the BJP is seen an “outsider”.

But with the area suffering from an acute water crisis besides other problems, the battle for the constituency has all the elements of ending up as a cliff-hanger.

Mr. Sharma, who is known for his loud and flamboyant style, claims that he intends to bring his constituency at par with Dwarka in terms of development. “I won the Best MLA Award in the Delhi Assembly in 2001. Building roads, hospitals, schools, transport and civic amenities in the constituency will be my main priority after being voted to the Assembly again.”

Speaking about his rival, Mr. Sharma claims that no one in Uttam Nagar knows anything about Pawan Sharma’s background, while on the other hand he is familiar with the area and can even address the residents by their names. “We will throw the BJP candidate out of the constituency on a parachute,” adds Mr. Sharma, who is at present Chairman of the Delhi Khadi and Village Industries Board.

Asserting that he has a close attachment with Uttam Nagar, Mr. Sharma says he has lived all his life there. “From this area I did my schooling, got married and people identify me as a young brother, uncle or son. A 12-year-old boy who had seen me working for the welfare of my constituency is now an adult and a voter. I am accessible to everyone on my mobile and have been working from the same office since 1993.”

Narrating his achievements, Mr. Sharma says he has constructed two dozen schools, 32 chaupals and improved sewer and drinking water supply in the unauthorised colonies.

“If there is a drinking water problem, then why was Pawan Sharma not agitating about this issue all these years? I have constructed an underground reservoir at a cost of Rs.24 crore. Everyone in Uttam Nagar knows that water lines will start operating from April 2009. I openly challenge him to have a face-to-face public debate with me.”

Pawan Sharma, on the other hand, claims that he has been working in the Uttam Nagar area for the past 10 years.

“During the BJP rule from 1993 to 1998 I saw to it that schools running in tents started functioning from buildings. I did everything in my capacity as Delhi BJP organiser-cum-secretary to see to it that people get adequate water supply.”

“Unfortunately Mukesh Sharma, who has been in power for such a long time, hasn’t done anything on many fronts especially water. The situation is so bad that people have to wake up early in the morning and stand in serpentine queues to get their share of water from tankers. There is problem of electricity and many residents are complaining about fast running meters. Families are undergoing great hardship because of incorrect billing. But the MLA is too busy to look into the woes of the tax-paying middle class residents.”

Stating that price rise will be an important issue in the elections, Mr. Pawan Sharma says Congress mismanagement has resulted in a sharp increase in the prices of pulses, oils and other food items. “Health care is abysmal in Uttam Nagar. No hospital has been opened here. For children there are no playgrounds.”

Stating that the presence of Bahujan Samaj Party will be damaging to the Congress, the BJP leader says there is confusion in the rival camp and the general feeling of bringing about a change is quite strong.

Asserting that controlling the spiralling price rise would be his top priority, the BJP candidate says he will do everything he can to bring down the prices of groceries and vegetable oils.

“We will look into the concerns of every resident of the unauthorised colonies,” he adds.

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