Is BJP in a bind over choosing a candidate to challenge Saurabh Bharadwaj, the minister and AAP's sitting MLA from Greater Kailash?

The party is yet to finalize its candidate for this seat, which has sent Bharadwaj to the assembly three times. Political corridors are abuzz with speculation that BJP is seeking a heavyweight candidate who can pose a tough challenge to Bharadwaj. Names of former union ministers are reportedly under consideration.

But why does BJP want to field a strong candidate against Bharadwaj?

Data shows that the support base of Saurabh Bharadwaj, who has been winning the seat since 2013, has consistently grown over the years.

In 2013, when he contested for the first time, he secured 45.6% of the vote and defeated his nearest rival, Ajay Kumar Malhotra (BJP), who garnered 31.7%.

Two years later, following AAP’s hasty exit from the government and the subsequent early elections in 2015, Saurabh Bharadwaj's vote share increased to 55.3%.

He achieved a hat-trick in 2020, winning the seat with 60,372 votes and defeating BJP candidate Shika Roy. In this election, Saurabh Bharadwaj secured 55.9% of the vote.

So, over the years, Bharadwaj's vote percentage has increased by nearly 10% between 2013 and 2020.

BJP's aggressive stance

Moreover, BJP is known for its aggressive stance when it comes to challenging senior and prominent leaders of opposing parties. It doesn’t give them a walkover. The party fielded Parvesh Verma, son of former CM Saheb Singh Verma, against AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal, while Ramesh Bidhuri has been given the ticket in Kalkaji, where CM Aatishi is contesting.

Tarvinder Singh Marwah, who has been an MLA from Jangpura three times, has been fielded against former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia.

BJP won this seat in 2008.

In 2008, BJP won this seat by fielding seasoned leader and senior parliamentarian Vijay Kumar Malhotra, who secured 55.3% of the vote. However, since then, BJP has not been able to win this seat, and Greater Kailash, known worldwide for its markets, has become an AAP citadel.