New Delhi: Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday made their last-ditch efforts to sway the voters ahead of the February 5 Delhi Assembly polls by holding roadshows in key constituencies of the national capital. The Gandhi siblings held roadshows in the Kasturba Nagar and Kalkaji constituencies, aiming to bolster support for the Congress candidates on the last day of the campaigning.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi led the roadshow at Kasturba Nagar, appealing for votes and support for Congress candidate Abhishek Dutt, who is pitted against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) Ramesh Pehalwan and Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Neeraj Basoya. The member of Parliament from Kerala's Wayanad greeted the people of the constituency during her roadshow.
Rahul Gandhi campaigned at Kalkaji, accompanied by Congress candidate Alka Lamba. The former Congress chief's roadshow took place in the Govindpuri area of the constituency and was aimed at energising the voters to support Lamba in her contest against Chief Minister and AAP candidate Atishi and former south Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri, who has been fielded by the BJP.
The Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 years from 1998 to 2013, with Sheila Dikshit heading its government in the capital, has seen a dramatic decline in its electoral fortunes in the last 10 years. The grand old party has not had a single MLA in the 70-member Assembly in the said period, with the AAP ruling the capital for the last two tenures.
The Congress and the AAP formed a coalition government in Delhi for just 49 days in 2013. In that election, the AAP had emerged as the second-largest party with 28 seats, while the Congress won only eight seats. Determined to break the 10-year drought in the Delhi Assembly, the Congress has given five guarantees for the upcoming election.
These guarantees include an LPG cylinder for Rs 500, free ration kits and free electricity, up to 300 units, for households. Under the "Pyari Didi Yojana", the party has promised a monthly financial grant of Rs 2,500 each to women.
The Congress has also promised the "Jeevan Raksha Yojana" to provide free health insurance of up to Rs 25 lakh to the Delhi residents. Additionally, the party has pledged to offer Rs 8,500 each every month for a year to educated and unemployed youngsters as part of its broader strategy to address unemployment and economic instability.
Delhi is scheduled to go to polls on Wednesday, with the results set to be declared on February 8.
