Parties Make Their Final Push as Campaign Ends
NEW DELHI:The three main contenders in the fray for the Delhi polls-- the BJP, the Congress and the AAP -- on Thursday made their final pitch on Thursday as the campaigning for Saturday’s Assembly elections drew to a close. And all the candidates, some of them accompanied by senior leaders, concluded their campaign by focusing on their respective constituencies.
From road shows to door-to-door campaigning, the candidates started as early as 7 am onwards to make the most of the last day of campaigning. With folded hands, the three Chief Ministerial candidates -- IPS officer-turned-activist Kiran Bedi of the BJP, ex-Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of the AAP and former minister and senior Congress leader Ajay Maken --tried their best to get the attention in their constituencies.
While Bedi and Kejriwal seemed confident that their respective parties would secure a clear majority, seasoned politician Maken remained calm but enthusiastic hoping that his party would gain ground in Delhi. In the final leg of her election campaign, Bedi campaigned extensively in her Krishna Nagar constituency.
With the residents showering petals, Bedi’s last road show managed to bring people out on to the streets in large numbers. BJP MP from East Delhi Mahesh Girri and Union Minister Harshvardhan accompanied Bedi, whose biography was distributed free to the people. Meanwhile, Kejriwal visited his New Delhi constituency at 11: 30 am and for 20 minutes he staged a road show from an open mini truck at Mandir Marg at KaliBari along with around 200 supporters. Maken, on his part, reached his constituency in the second half of the day as he was at Rahul Gandhi’s road show at party bastion in Sultanpur Majra in NorthWest Delhi.
The Congress has never lost an election from this constituency. Rahul ’s style of campaigning and road show triggered feelings of nostalgia among the elderly people, who said his speech and mannerisms evoked memories of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
But it may not be rest as yet for the candidates, as they will engage with the party workers to ensure maximum turnout for the Saturday contest.