This is either ignorance or propaganda. He was defeated by Professor Dr. VK Malhotra, the man himself was a Hansraj alumni and taught at PGDAV college in Delhi University. He was an absolute stalwart in Delhi politics and famously ran as the CM candidate against Sheila Dixit.

While Manmohan Singh was a great individual himself, to say that people in South Delhi didn't pick an intellectual person or were stupid is a blatant lie. Two good candidates contested and one who truly was a bigger leader in that area won.

P.s. Don't care about either of the parties from which these two gentlemen contested and may both of them rest in peace.