This Article is From Feb 05, 2015

Class, Not Caste, Could be the Deciding Factor in this Election

Class, Not Caste, Could be the Deciding Factor in this Election

The coming assembly election appears to have split Delhi down the economic lines - with one section supporting the BJP and the other, the Aam Aadmi Party.

In South Delhi's posh Vasant Kunj area, NDTV found many from the educated middle class saying they will vote for the BJP. Their domestic helps admit to feeling an affinity to AAP. For them, the most defining issues are "bijli, paani, toilets for women" and a permanent home.

Ramesh, a local vegetable vendor said, "AAP understand the problems of the poor and does things with their heart. They reduced the prices of water and electricity. Bijli and paani are most important to us."

Told that the BJP has built toilets for women in this area, a domestic help, Rimjhim, shot back, "But nothing else has been done".

As we walked in the resettlement colonies adjacent to Vasant Junk, images of Arvind Kejriwal could be seen everywhere.

A group of men said they were traditionally Congress workers. But now they thought the time for Congress was over. Asked if the Congress will come to power, they merely laughed.

But AAP's promises of freebies appeared to have alienated the middle classes.  "Who will vote for AAP? They promise everything free... water, electricity... then who would pay for it?" said Shantanu, who works for American Express. "The main issue for me is development, which Modi has done a lot about in the last few months.

Sumit, a banker, also reiterated the BJP's development pitch. "The BJP is pro-development and what Modi has done for the country in terms of foreign policy, Jan Dhan, are great for us."

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