Cong invites Purvanchali leaders to campaign in MCD polls

After fielding the highest number of Purvanchali candidates in the upcoming MCD polls, the Delhi Congress has invited nearly two dozen senior party leaders from eastern UP and Bihar to canvass for these nominees.
Purvanchali voters have emerged as one of the decisive factors in Delhi politics.
The Congress has fielded 54 Purvanchali candidates while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), whose mammoth victory in 2015 Assembly elections was credited to the support of Purvanchali voters, has fielded 36 candidates of eastern UP and Bihar origin.
In comparison, the BJP, whose Delhi unit president Manoj Tiwari is himself a Purvanchali, has given tickets to 27 candidates of eastern UP and Bihar origin for the MCD polls slated to be held on April 23.

Political parties estimate that Purvanchali population in Delhi is around 40 lakh, who are concentrated mainly in unauthorised colonies and slums in all parts of the city.
"We have invited several well known Purvanchali leaders for campaigning in the MCD polls. Nirmal Khatri, Pramod Tiwari, Rajesh Mishra, Shakil Ahamad are some of the prominent leaders who will campaign for the party," Delhi Congress' media in-charge Naresh Kumar said.

Besides, R P N Singh, Subodhi Kant Sahay, Ranjeet Ranjan, Raj Babbar and others will also participate in the poll campaign, he said.
The Congress has drawn a list of 90 star campaigners for the MCD polls who have started visiting different parts of the city seeking support for party candidates.

The party, that drew a blank in the last Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Delhi, is seeking to revive its influence with a victory in elections for the three municipal corporations in the national capital ruled by the BJP for past one decade.