With elections in front of the door, people with different backgrounds come into the political arena. In Delhi, the seat in Okhla assembly attracts considerable attention more than one.
Arsalan Azad: A queer independent candidate in a constituency of Muslim majority
Among the 14 candidates who compete from Okhla are two independent. One of them is the 27-year-old social worker Sheikh Arsalan Ullah Chishi, also known as Arsalan Azad. What makes Azad unique is that he is the only candidate in this constituency for Muslim majority who has openly identified as Queer.
Azad, an engineer who became a social employee, has set up a strong presence in particular on social media InstagramWhere he has 60k plus trailers.
Azad, an engineer who became a social employee, has set up a strong presence in particular on social media InstagramWhere he has 60k plus trailers. In contrast to traditional politicians who rely on large rallies and public meetings, Azad has decided on a different approach.
Photo credit: Adnan Ali
His campaign is about direct visits to engagement of door-to-do doors and digital public relations. Instead of massive public meetings, he meets people individually and documents his interactions through short videos that he divides online. His companion, Bakhshish, was an integral part of this campaign and helped him connect with the voters.
For the first time, Azad identified himself as a queer during the Eid prayers when he wore a colorful tourist and nail polish and used the moment to explain an explanation of his identity and beliefs. “Back then I sent a message – I am queer and support queer people,” he recalls. But his legal profession does not stop personal expression. Azad also leads a company that offers queer individuals jobs. “Islam does not discriminate on gender,” he argues, “there is such discrimination here.”
Frustration with civil problems appeals to the candidacy
Azad comes from Manipur and has been living in Okehla for several years. He says his decision to contest the elections is based on a deep frustration about bourgeois problems that have remained unresolved for far too long. “When I moved to Okhla, problems such as drainage, bad roads and electricity shortages were already there. But nobody was ready to work on them, ”he explains. “That’s why I deny these elections – to make these problems aware. I am not here to win or lose; I am here to listen to people. ‘
Despite the predominantly Muslim population of Okhla, Azad insists that he only received support from the community.
Despite the predominantly Muslim population of Okhla, Azad insists that he only received support from the community. “People warmly welcome me when I go out. They listen, they are committed and they show me respect, ”he says. “Fortunately, I deny Okhla. It is a strong reaction to those who look down to this place. ‘
Photo credit: Adnan Ali
Azad does not see himself as a competition with the other candidates. “Nobody else wants to talk about the problems I have raised,” he says. “Something happened to me personally, and that’s why I am here – to give others courage.”
While some people release him as a “joker”, Azad remains unimpressed. “People’s opinions don’t matter,” he says. “What matters is what I do. If my presence in these election talks that did not previously occurred, I have already solved something important. ‘
“People’s opinions don’t matter,” he says. “What matters is what I do. If my presence in these election talks that did not previously occurred, I have already solved something important. ‘
The seat in Okhla Assembly is experiencing heated competition. The AAM AADMI party has set up a well-known figure in the constituency. The Congress nominated the council member of Abul Fazal, Areba Khan, and expanded a further weight to the competition. On the side of the Bharatiya Janata party, Manish Chaudhary is fighting for the seat. The candidate of Aimim, Shifa Ur Rehman, the former alumni president of Jamia, who is currently in prison, adds another competition to the election.
Azad redefines the representation in politics
With 14 candidates in combat, the political dynamics of Okhla are more intense than ever. But in a race with a party supported with party, Arsalan Azad’s candidacy has achieved a unique room. His campaign calls for conventional political stories and concentrates on topics that Mainstream politicians often overlooked.
Photo credit: Adnan Ali
By bringing a strange identity into the political discourse of a constituency for Muslim majority, he not only denies a conversation that shy away from a choice. Whether he wins or loses, his presence in the choice sends a powerful message: governance should enclose everyone, and politics must develop to reflect the realities of all citizens.