New Delhi: Delhi goes to polls on May 7, and in the thick of summer, it's a new battle in Old Delhi, with sitting MP from Chandini Chowk Kapil Sibal facing a stiff fight from Bharatiya Janata Party's Vijender Gupta.
Despite temperature soaring over 40 degrees, there is no stopping the candidates from walking the busy lanes of Delhi-6. Kapil Sibal of the Congress is hoping to retain his seat, but voters say they hardly get to see him.
"Kapil Sibal did not come here after election," said a voter.
"The prices are soaring. How should we manage? Sibal ji never came," said another voter.
However, when asked, Sibal countered the allegations in his own style:
Kapil Sibal: Have you interviewed me earlier?
NDTV: No sir.
Kapil Sibal: Does that mean I did not come on TV? I've a complete record of when I've come here and I can show you if you want.
Sibal is pitted against Vijendra Gupta of the BJP, who has the trader community lobbying for him.
"We want Vijendra Gupta, because he is a trader and he is one of us. Kapil Sibal is an outsider," said Ajay Agarwal, trader, Chandni Chowk.
Sibal says he did his bit to tackle water scarcity and sewage, but his opponent rubbishes the claims.
"Sibal has not done anything for the people," said Gupta.
"The problems are because of inaction of the municipality," said Sibal.
Voters say the real problems have been lost in the din of political mud-slinging. Will the people of Ghalib's city bring back the orator or will he lose to the trader. The important question inhabitants of Chandni Chowk are asking themselves is who will solve the ever existing issues of congestion, inflation, sanitation and water crises.