Delhi Polls: Home Minister Amit Shah to interact with slum leaders on Jan 11

New Delhi [India], January 9 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to meet with leaders of slum clusters in Delhi on January 11 as part of an initiative to engage with slum voters ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections.

This will be Shah’s first interaction with the heads of nearly 3,000 slum colonies across the city. The meeting will take place at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Saturday.

In the run-up to the Delhi Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched a special initiative to connect with slum voters. As part of this, BJP leaders, including MPs and MLAs, have been staying overnight in slum areas to connect directly with the residents. The party’s campaign, titled “Where There’s a Slum, There’s a House,” is being promoted by the central government.

Over the past few months, several leaders from the Delhi BJP have been visiting slum dwellers to understand their issues. Around two dozen BJP leaders have been spending one night each week in these slum areas, trying to connect with the people and learn about their concerns.

Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 1,675 flats in Ashok Vihar, Delhi, for slum dwellers. Delhi has around 675 slum clusters, with 18-20 per cent of them located in the eastern and northeastern parliamentary constituencies. These areas have consistently supported the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the last two Assembly elections. However, the BJP is making a concerted effort to win over these voters in the upcoming elections. As part of its slum development campaign, the BJP is focusing on providing better housing and infrastructure.

The Delhi Assembly elections for 2025 are scheduled for February 5, with the counting of votes taking place on February 8. The Election Commission announced the dates on January 7. The current term of the 70-member Delhi Assembly will end on February 23.