Congress 'local' Romesh Sabharwal up for battle against Kejriwal in Delhi elections 2020

Now, Romesh Sabharwal, a Congress old-timer at 56, who has been struggling for a foray into electoral politics for decades, faces an uphill task to deliver the coveted seat to the party.
The Congress lost the New Delhi seat to Aam Aadmi Party in 2013. (File Photo | PTI)
The Congress lost the New Delhi seat to Aam Aadmi Party in 2013. (File Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: The onus of winning a prized seat, which the Congress lost to the Aam Aadmi Party after bagging it three times in a row, is on a ‘local’. It took no less than Arvind Kejriwal to wrest the New Delhi Assembly constituency from the grand old party in 2013.

Now, Romesh Sabharwal, a Congress old-timer at 56, who has been struggling for a foray into electoral politics for decades, faces an uphill task to deliver the coveted seat to the party.

“Though I was in the running for a ticket every time elections were held, I somehow missed the boat. I am glad that the leadership finally gave me my due. I am thankful to Soniaji for putting faith in me, a local born belonging to a family of government servants,” Sabharwal said.

Sahbarwal has served as chairman of Delhi Tourism and was also the director of Central Bank of India.
In 1993, Congress picked Brij Mohan Bhama, a resident of Moti Nagar against Kirti Azad, who was then with the Bharatiya Janata Party, from Gole Market, which was later rechristened as New Delhi.

In the subsequent polls in 1998, Sheila Dikshit, then a former MP from Uttar Pradesh, was made a parachute candidate against Azad. She won and retained it till 2013. In 2015, Kiran Walia, former MLA (Malviya Nagar) was chosen to challenge Kejriwal in New Delhi, a seat dominated by government employees and middle-class voters. However, she lost.

“I understand the pain of a government employee. Kejriwal has done nothing for government employees and the constituency,” said Sabharwal.

“While rest of the city derives the benefits of the ‘free power’ scheme, residents here (mostly government employees) have to pay for electricity. They’ve been shelling out more for electricity since smart meters were introduced. My focus will also be on ensuring quality education and reducing pollution,” Sabharwal said.

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