Headlines
Modi vs Kejriwal vs Sonia on last Sunday before Delhi polls
New Delhi, Feb 1
Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal Sunday made
determined bids to woo the people of Delhi for Feb 7 assembly polls,
launching sharp attacks on their rivals while seeking to convey their
commitment to politics of development.
Raising the pitch on last
Sunday before voting, Modi, Kejriwal and Gandhi addressed rallies in
different parts of the national capital and drew enthusiastic response
from their supporters.
Though the battle is largely seen to be
between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Aam Aadmi Party, Congress
sees itself as a "dark horse". In the 2013 election to the 70-member
assembly, AAP won 28 seats and finished a close second to the BJP which
won 31 seats. Congress only got eight.
In his rally in West
Delhi's Dwarka area, Modi focused his attack mainly on AAP, and said the
national capital needs an administration which works in harmony with
his central government.
Gandhi, addressing a rally near Badarpur
in south Delhi, slammed Modi as a "pracharak" and AAP chief Arvind
Kejriwal as "dharnebaaj", while Kejriwal, in his rally at Shastri Nagar
in north Delhi, taunted Modi over promises of bring back black money and
accused BJP of failing to fulfill its promises on women's security.
Modi
hit out at both the AAP and Congress for making "false promises" and in
an attack on the former, said Delhi does not need a government "which
launches agitations day and night".
He urged people not to give a
fractured mandate and ensure full majority for his party, saying even a
small activity in the national capital has an impact.
Thanking
Delhi's people for their support in the Lok Sabha elections, he said: "I
have to return it by doing development. I have to solve problems in
every part (of Delhi). Give me a chance to serve you."
Modi said
Delhi needs a responsible, sensitive government and running an
administration was a serious task. "You cannot do it by running away,"
he said, taking a dig at Kejriwal who quit as chief minister after 49
days.
Referring to petrol and diesel prices coming down due to
international factors since he assumed office, Modi said his rivals
credit it to good luck but if "common man can save money due to (my)
good luck, why bring someone who does not have good luck".
Gandhi,
who addressed her first election rally, said her party would bring back
the "atmosphere of development" in Delhi, if voted to power and accused
BJP and AAP of making false promises.
"While one party has a
pracharak (referring Modi's days in RSS), who only does 'prachar
(promotion)', the other has a dharnebaaj (agitator)," she said, adding
that the country does not run only on slogans.
Accusing the
central government of being anti-farmer and diluting the land
acquisition law, Gandhi also raised incidents of communal violence in
Trilokpuri and vandalisation of a church in Dilshad Garden, calling for
defeating forces which spread "politics of hatred".
She also
questioned Modi government's sincerity in fighting corruption while
slamming the AAP for running away from its responsibilities by quitting
government.
Kejriwal, in his rally, hit back at Congress and
BJP leaders and said he sits in protest not for himself but for causes
concerning people.
He hit out the BJP for failing to honour its
commitment to bring back black money and now giving insurance of Rs.1
lakh under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana.
"Before elections
they said we will bring Rs.15 lakh (into each account) in 100 days.
After elections, they are saying first you die, then you will get Rs.1
lakh," he said.
Kejriwal also attacked the BJP over remarks of some of its leaders concerning women.
"How will they protect women? If it is in their hands, they will bundle women in a room and lock it from outside," he said.