An early morning round of her constituency, accompanied by MTV Roadies anchor Rajiv, a hurried lunch at a pizza joint next to her constituency office, another drive through the constituency and a small meeting with students and residents in south campus. So far, this has been an easy day for the Aam Aadmi Party candidate from RK Puram, Shazia Ilmi. On most other days, she has no time to breathe as she has to punctuate her campaigning with visits to TV studios. She is a prominent AAP spokesperson on the talk shows. “Very often when there is no time, journalists come over to her house. With only 20-odd days left for polling, there is very little time,” says a party volunteer. Shazia — like most AAP candidates — is quite unlike your typical neta. Dressed in an ethnic outfit with bright colours, she zips through south Delhi in an open jeep on Tuesday which has a national flag fluttering in the wind. Another car follows it close behind. It’s afternoon and most people in the affluent Shanti Niketan Colony are inside their palatial homes. However, guards, drivers, gardeners and maids, standing at the gates at this hour, break into wide smiles and wave happily as the jeep passes by. She stops by at bus stops and speaks to people. At one point in RK Puram, a group of poor, old women, rush up to her, promising their support for AAP. Several youngsters wave excitedly at Rajiv, whose brother, Raghu, campaigned for AAP last week in Delhi. At a coffee joint in the Shanti Niketan market, Shazia blends in seamlessly with the crowd and asks for votes. “She is one of us. We are fed up with those in power now and want a change. We believe that AAP can be that change and Ilmi represents the common man,” says Shraddha, a college student who does not miss the opportunity to have her picture clicked with Rajiv. Shazia promises what one has heard from Kejriwal all along: freedom from corruption and a properly functioning civic infrastructure; but she has a specific agenda for the area. “Corruption aside, I want to address the basic problems of the constituency. Each MLA gets Rs 4 crore to spend, and in the past five years, all RK Puram got was benches. Women security is crucial, especially after the December incident. There is also a massive drinking water and sanitation problem in this area,” she says. At the Satya Niketan market, a huge crowd of largely students gathers around Shazia and Rajiv. It’s a festive atmosphere, totally unlike an election rally, and curious residents peer from their balconies. “The party needs volunteers, and while we have no money to pay you, we want dedicated people who are interested in changing the city. It is j h a d u versus d a r u this election,” says Ilmi, drawing a huge cheer from the crowd. Source : epaper.timesofindia/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTMvMTEvMTQjQXIwMDYwMQ%3D%3D
Posted on: Thu, 14 Nov 2013 04:05:49 +0000
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