Amit Shah Rally: Those who have given best years to party should be considered, Says BJP

“My family is an active supporter (of the party) since the Jan Sangh days. But none of us have ever contested an election. I hope to get a ticket this time, as only first-timers are being allotted tickets,” Monga said.

Vikas Aggarwal, who has applied from ward 78 in Kamla Nagar, said he has been with the party for over 30 years. “While winnability is an important criteria in picking candidates, those who have given their best years to the party should also be considered,” said Aggrawal.

However, he added that he will “whole-heartedly” follow the party’s decision. “We are a party where even our top leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calls himself a karyakarta (worker). We are what we are because of the organisation,” Aggarwal said.

Several other veteran workers of the party shared the sentiment. A two-time councilor from west Delhi, who wants his wife to contest from his seat this time, said, “There are 272 tickets up for grabs, and I am confident all those people/families who have toiled tirelessly over the years will get a fair number of them.”

Meanwhile, the rally saw the BJP showcasing their cadre strength, and their discipline – with workers waiting in queues for hours before taking their allotted seats.

Arvind Garg, a veteran of the party who is in-charge of all 16 wards in the Chandni Chowk area, said while they had made seating arrangements for 52,000 people, close to 70,000 attended the rally. Pointing to those standing at the periphery, he said, “These are not people we have hired; all of them are registered workers. I personally know a lot of them from Chandni Chowk.” Garg added that by giving tickets to new people, especially those who have served for years, the party will beat “anti-incumbency, if at all it exists”.