Delhi Elections: No Party has Credible Sikh Leaders, Panjab CM Raided

Delhi’s upcoming 5 Feb Assembly polls have cast the spotlight on Sikh and Purvanchali (eastern Utter Pradesh) migrant voters, who hold decisive sway in key constituencies such as Tilak Nagar, Rajouri Garden, and Gandhi Nagar. In areas heavily populated by Sikhs, residents lament long-neglected civic concerns—from waterlogging and garbage to unresolved legal rights for 1984 Sikh genocide survivors—while expressing mixed feelings about both Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Many remain skeptical of the Indian National Congress (INC) too, citing abandoned promises. Arvinder Singh Lovely, formerly of INC and now contesting under the BJP banner, insists Prime Minister Narendra Modi understands Sikh sentiments best, while accusing Rahul Gandhi of alienating the community. Shiromani Akali Dal leaders, having severed ties with the BJP, label both AAP and BJP as ‘evils,’ and vow to oppose Manjinder Singh Sirsa in Rajouri Garden. Meanwhile, chaos erupted when AAP alleged a Delhi police ‘raid’ on Panjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s residence at Kapurthala House. Police and Election Commission of India (ECI) officials clarified they were simply probing a complaint lodged on the ECI portal. Mann claimed thorough searches of personal belongings. Soon after, a vehicle allegedly bearing a forged Panjab government plate was seized by a Delhi Flying Squad, containing unaccounted cash, liquor, and AAP pamphlets. The Panjab administration denied owning the car. BJP leaders called the seizure proof of wrongdoing, while AAP dismissed it as a ‘bogus stunt.’ In these elections, though various political parties promise targeted sops, many voters remain disillusioned, citing poor infrastructure, limited employment, and cynical ‘vote-buying’ tactics. As polling day nears, observers say the sentiments of disaffected Sikh and Purvanchali residents, controversies and questionable campaign practices could shape electoral outcomes.