New Delhi [India], January 9: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to meet leaders of slum clusters in Delhi on January 11 as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) efforts to engage with slum voters ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections. This will mark Shah’s first interaction with the heads of nearly 3,000 slum colonies across the city.
The meeting will be held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Saturday, in line with the BJP’s ongoing initiative to strengthen its connection with the slum-dwelling population. The BJP has launched a special outreach campaign titled “Where There’s a Slum, There’s a House,” aimed at addressing the concerns of slum residents, with support from the central government.
As part of the campaign, several BJP leaders, including Members of Parliament (MPs) and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), have been staying overnight in slum areas to engage directly with local communities. Over the past few months, around two dozen Delhi BJP leaders have been spending one night each week in these slum colonies to understand the issues faced by the residents.
Additionally, last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 1,675 flats in Ashok Vihar for slum dwellers, further emphasizing the BJP’s focus on improving housing and infrastructure for this constituency.
Delhi’s slums are concentrated in areas like the eastern and northeastern parliamentary constituencies, which have traditionally supported the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in recent elections. However, the BJP is making a concerted effort to win over these voters with promises of better living conditions.
The Delhi Assembly elections are scheduled for February 5, with vote counting set for February 8. The current term of the 70-member Delhi Assembly ends on February 23.