BJP making silent push for AAP's stronghold — slums

Out of power since 1998, the BJP is trying to lure voters in the city's JJ clusters, but the AAP's sway in the demographic makes it a tough challenge

- Alok KN Mishra

NEW DELHI: For the past few months, Delhi's slums have been at the heart of a quiet, but steady outreach by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — marked by visits and overnight stays — in the city's sprawling jhuggis, aiming to woo a voter base that has long been a stronghold of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

With assembly elections looming, the BJP is making a push to penetrate this key demographic, which could determine the outcome in 20 of Delhi's 70 assembly constituencies.

Estimates suggest that around 3 million people live in Delhi's 750 slums, with half of them registered voters — a tenth of the city's voter base of around 15 million.

The assembly constituencies with a big base of slum voters are Narela, Adarsh Nagar, Wazirpur, Model Town, Rajendra Nagar, Sangam Vihar, Badarpur, Tughlakabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Seemapuri, Babarppur, Trilokpuri, Kondli, Okhla, Moti Nagar, Madipur, Shalimar Bagh, Matiala and Kirari.

Traditionally, this group has overwhelmingly supported the AAP, thanks to the party's welfare schemes, including free electricity, bus rides for women, subsidized health care, and improved sanitation. Yet, the BJP is attempting to upend this dynamic by spotlighting unaddressed grievances and positioning itself as a solution-driven alternative.

BJP's 'jhuggi vistar'