MCD polls: JD(U) to soon release second list, to woo Sikhs too

The Janta Dal (United) will release the second list of candidates for the MCD elections in a day or two, in which it hopes to woo Purvanchali voters riding on Nitish Kumar government's "good governance" model.
The JD(U) also seeks to reach out to the Sikh community based on the goodwill earned from the community for organising 'Prakash Parv' -- Guru Gobind Singh's 350th anniversary in Patna in January.
"We have targeted to field 100-150 candidates and our main competitor would be BJP, not Congress or AAP. The Bihar model of prohibition, good governance will be a key factor in our campaigning.

"Women, and people hailing from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh would be the main constituency of voters whom we will be reaching out to. Our second list of candidates is expected in a day or two," JD(U) national spokesperson K C Tyagi, told PTI.
The Nitish Kumar-led party had recently released the first 27 list of candidates for the municipal polls due on April 22, majority of which have been alloted to women and youth.
Purvanchalis or people hailing from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and settled in Delhi are considered a major votebank by all parties, and JD(U) is also hoping to shore up its fortunes in the civic polls relying on the impact of Nitish's policies in Bihar, especially prohibition.

"We would also reach out to the Sikh community, give the successful organisation of Guru Gobind Singh's 350th anniversary in Patna, which had turned the Bihar capital into a mini Punjab. Besides, other minorities like Muslims living here, we would also reach out to them," Tyagi added.

Areas like Burari, Jahangirpuri, Uttam Nagar in north Delhi, Sangam Vihar, Okhla in south Delhi and large areas of east Delhi are populated with migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
Incidentally, JD(U) had supported AAP in the 2015 Assembly elections in 2015. The same year JD(U) had cobbled 'Grand Alliance' with RJD and Congress for the Bihar Assembly polls, which it swept comprehensively.

The BJP has been ruling the MCD since 2007. The last polls were held in 2012.
The much-awaited polls will decide the fate of 272 councillors. While NDMC and SMDC have 104 seats each, EDMC has 64 seats.
The total number of electorate for the civic polls stands at 1,32,10,206, which include 73,15,915 men, 58,93,418 women and 793 voters in the other category, according to the state election commission.