Delhi BJP focussing on 12 reserved seats to boost its chances of returning to power

Gearing up for the tough task of dislodging the ruling AAP government, the BJP is focusing on a dozen reserved Assembly constituencies in the city to strengthen its chances of returning to power in Delhi after more than two decades.

The Scheduled Caste Morcha of the Delhi BJP has been holding 'Samajik Sammelans' (public meetings) with individual Scheduled Castes since November to penetrate among voters in view of the Assembly polls due early next year.

"We have already held meetings of 13 scheduled castes including Valmiki, Jatav, Khatik, Dhanuk, Mallah. In the coming days, some more meetings are planned," said Delhi BJP SC Morcha president Mohanlal Gihara.

The BJP which was ousted from power in Delhi in 1998, has performed "pathetically" in around 20 Assembly seats where SC and Muslim voters determine the results, said a senior Delhi BJP leader.

"Out of these 20 seats, there are 12 seats reserved for SC candidates, including Bawana, Sultanpur Majra, Ambedkar Nagar, Deoli, Karol Bagh, Patel Nagar, Gokalpur among others whose results will impact the chances of BJP's victory in the Assembly elections," he said.

Gihara said that the members of various scheduled castes have responded "positively" to BJP's efforts to reach out to them.

"People from the SC community want respect which we have given them by acknowledging their role in the society by holding these Samajik Sammelans. It is also a fact that most of the beneficiaries of Modi government's schemes like Ujjwala Yojana and PM Awas Yojana have been members of the SC community," Gihara said.

The SC Morcha held 'Anusuchit Jati (SC) Swabhiman Sammelan' in reserved constituencies on Sunday to strengthen BJP's bond with them, he said.

In the past Assembly polls since 1993, the BJP has been unable to make an inroad in the reserved Assembly seats that have earlier been a bastion of Congress till 2015 when the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) set record winning 67 of the 70 Assembly Constituencies.