New Delhi: Ahead of the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025, the battle heats up for the Okhla constituency as after a long dominance of Congress, it went to the incumbent Aam Aadmi Party for the consecutive assembly elections of 2015 and 2020. However, the BJP is yet to taste victory from here and is leaving no stones unturned to bloom lotus this time.
Congress reigned Okhla from 1998 to 2013. In the 1998, 2003 and 2008 elections, Pravez Hashmi consecutively won on the Congress ticket while in 2013, Asif Mohammad Khan defeated the AAP candidate.
After 2013, Congress could not hold its dominance here as AAP's Amanatullah Khan clinched Okhla with a huge margin in both 2015 and 2020 polls. However, Khan has faced multiple corruption allegations and was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case. Despite these hurdles, Khan maintains that he is being unfairly targeted and expresses confidence in continuing support from Okhla residents.
With over 50 per cent Muslim population, Okhla has always been won by the party which got most of the minority votes. The constituency includes areas like Shaheen Bagh, Jasola, Taimur Nagar and Madanpur Khadar village.
This time, Congress has fielded Ariba Khan while BJP banked on Manish Chaudhary and AAP exuded confidence in its two-term MLA Amanatullah Khan. While some voters feel Khan has the upper hand due to his previous efforts, others believe he has not brought about meaningful development in the constituency.
On the other hand, Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM has declared Shifa-ur-Rehman as its candidate. Currently in jail as an accused in the Delhi riots case, Rehman filed his nomination on January 16. His wife, Noor Fatima, who is campaigning on his behalf, remains confident about his victory. A total of 14 candidates are in the fray from Okhla.
Residents of Okhla have raised concerns about the lack of job opportunities and inadequate infrastructure, highlighting the need to widen roads leading to the neighbourhood, as traffic jams are a daily picture. Sanitation remains a major concern, with garbage and drains often left unaddressed.
In the last two elections, the BJP has secured second place in Okhla. The contest for the seat, currently held by AAP, will be decided on February 5 when Delhi goes to the polls, with results to be announced on February 8.
Also Read:
