Ballimaran seat: A Congress home ground snatched by AAP

The Ballimaran Assembly constituency has been home to the Congress since its formation in 1993 with Haroon Yusuf being a five-time MLA until the Aam Aadmi Party swept the 2015 Assembly polls and bagged 67 of the 70 seats.

A Muslim majority area, Ballimaran has elected Yusuf in 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013. However, in the 2015 Assembly elections, AAP's Imran Hussain was elected with 59.71 per cent votes. In 2015, while Yusuf came third, the runner up was Shyam Lal Morawal of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

One of the seventy Delhi Assembly constituencies, Ballimaran is a part of Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency.

Home to Ahata Kale Sahib, Amarpuri, Bagichi Allauddin, Bagichi Raghunath, Bara Dari Sher Afgan, Bara Hindu Rao, Baradari Sher Afgan, Basti Bagrian, Basti Harphool Singh, Basti Julahan, Bazar Balli Maran, Bazar Chandni Chowk, Bazar Lal Kuan, Chamelian Road, Chawri Bazar, Chinyot Basti, Dharam Pura, Faizal Road, Farash Khana, Gali Shyamji, Haveli Hissamuddin Haider, Hoshiar Singh Marg and Jogiwara, the Constituency has 1,40,968 electors with 63,358 women. The gender ratio of the constituency is 817, below the city average of 824.

The constituency also includes Khari Baoli, Krishna Basti, Kucha Rehman, Kuncha Pandit, Laxman Pura, Motia Khan, Nabi Karim, Nai Sarak, Nai Wara, Naya Bans, Paharidhiraj, Prem Nagar, Qasab Pura, Rodgran, Sadar Bazar and Sarai Khalil Kucha Lallu Missar.

The contest will be crucial for both the AAP and Congress. While the Congress is yet to reveal the name, the AAP has re-launched its sitting MLA Hussain.

Hussain, a Delhi Cabinet Minister, will face senior BJP leader Lata Sodhi this time. The seat is also crucial for the BJP, which was never elected from the seat.

Delhi will go to polls on February 8 and the results will be out on February 11.

( With inputs from IANS )