Where it all began votes for a sister long gone,a room full of memories

“People have voted for Santosh,” elder sister Usha said,referring to their sister,the original AAP candidate from Seemapuri,who died in August after being seriously injured in a hit-and-run accident. “She was very popular among the masses. She did more for their problems than anybody else. She was the one who brought Arvind Kejriwal to this place the first time.”

And Kejriwal too remembered Santosh. At a press conference after the Delhi verdict,he said: “They killed Santosh Koli but this did not stop us. Her brother Dharmender Koli beat Veer Singh Dhingan by a huge margin.”

Seemapuri,which is on the border with UP,is home to a large number of migrant workers,many living in unauthorised colonies. It also has a large Muslim population. Residents claimed they wanted “change” after voting for the same candidate three times.

They all agree that Dharmender won because of the popularity of Kejriwal and Santosh. “He will learn with time. For now,there are elders who will be helping him in taking decisions,” a resident said. Most said they had voted for Kejriwal and expected him to “guide” Dharmender.

Kejriwal’s tryst with Seemapuri began on March 23 when Santosh brought him to the area in an attempt to highlight “the problems of corruption,high electricity and water bills”. The 15-day agitation that followed cemented the AAP hold in this constituency and beyond.

“During that period,he lived in our house,” Dharmender’s mother said,pointing to a bed now filled with dolls that once belonged to Santosh. On the wall is her portrait. And a room full of memories.