Gen VK Singh campaigns in Ghaziabad
It's the seat of the BJP president Rajnath Singh but Ghaziabad feels a little neglected. Not only is the shine of adjoining Noida missing, citizens are openly complaining about the fact that their MP never had time for them.
Perhaps keeping this is mind, Rajnath Singh moved to Lucknow and passed the baton to freshman in politics but veteran in every other sense, General VK Singh.
The former army chief has already moved in to Raj Nagar in Ghaziabad and he assured his constituents he will be different. But the question keeps chasing him at his public meetings in Muradnagar and its Kankra Village, and so do the internal problems of his party.
Speaking to NDTV, General Singh tried to walk the tightrope in the battle of heavyweights within his party.
"I am trying not to focus on these issues, they are trivial," he says when we ask him about Jaswant Singh's rebellion.
Asked about what Sushma Swaraj said especially about the induction of tainted politicians like Sriramalu, the former army chief said, "I am still for anti-corruption. Politics is a system in which some compromises are to be made. But I'm sure a time will come when we can rectify that."
The general, while commanding a loyal servicemen following and a sizable Rajput vote along with what partymen are calling a 'Modi wave', has his work cut out. Ghaziabad's has 4 BSP MLAs and one from the Samajwadi Party which means there is no BJP-dominated area right now.
The constituency also has a high profile Aam Admi Party candidate in Shazia Ilmi and the Congress's Raj Babbar also seems formidable as a two time MP.
"This is not new for me as I have been going around with Anna," he says as he canvasses for votes, "I just tell them I stand for clean politics and it is time for change."
But for a man who commandeered the entire might of the Indian Army, who shook the government too when he challenged it in court, the Indian voter may prove to be the toughest challenge.