New Delhi: Every election in Delhi witnesses
parties actively wooing voters hailing from Bihar and eastern
UP by fielding candidates belonging to those regions, but
people from south India, who also form an impressive chunk of
voters, seem far behind when it comes to getting tickets.
In this municipal elections, BJP has fielded just three
candidates -- two from Tamil Nadu and one from Kerala -- out
of total 272 candidates, from southern parts of the country.
Congress has fielded only one candidate from south India
-- Uma Naidu (43) from Andhra Pradesh -- despite party`s south
Indian cell and state-specific cells lobbying for more
tickets.
Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party has also
fielded a Malayali candidate P S Prasanna Kumar from New
Seemapuri.
At least three independent candidates from the south are
also in the fray.
BJP has fielded a Keralite Prasannan Pillai, who had lost
the last civic polls, from Gharoli this time. Mayur Vihar
which has a large chunk of Malayalee voters falls in this ward
and Pillai hopes to garner substantial votes from this area.
Similarly, K Muthuswamy (38) is contesting from R K
Puram, a sitting BJP seat, and hopes to garner Tamil votes
while M Nagaraj (47), who also hails from Tamil Nadu, is
fighting from Pushp Vihar.
Naidu, who is fighting on a Congress ticket, is the most
educated and the richest among the south Indian candidates
having an MA in English and property worth Rs 1.75 crore,
including immovable property of Rs 1.48 crore.
Muthuswamy, who has Rs 38,000 movable property and 200
yards of property in Dharmapuri in Tamil Nadu, is a restaurant
manager while Nagaraj, a consultant, has Rs 10.80 lakh
property. Both have one each case registered against them.
G Jaya (34) from Tamil Nadu has also filed nominations
from Mayur Vihar Phase-I ward as a Forward Bloc candidate
while A Govindan from Kerala are fighting as independents from
New Seemapuri.
Govindan was BJP`s candidate in 2002 MCD polls while
Kumar is active in resident welfare association of the area.
PTI
