With the stage set for municipal elections in Delhi after the withdrawal of nominations, parties hit the campaign trail on Sunday with Arvind Kejriwal leading the charge for AAP while the BJP unleashed 14 senior leaders, including party chief J P Nadda and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, to woo Delhi voters.
AAP and BJP sought to set the tone for the civic body polls with Kejriwal highlighting the garbage problem in the city and the saffron party leaders highlighting the corruption allegations against Delhi government.
The BJP indicated that it will adopt to its Hindutva route to sway the voters which became evident in the address of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswas Sarma during campaign. Sarma said that the country needs a leader like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and not people like Aftab, who is accused in a sensational murder. He also referred to the need for Uniform Civil Code and a law against love jihad.
Congress did not field any senior leader for campaigning but its workers were spread across Delhi seeking to improve its political standing in the capital where AAP and BJP are locking horns to take the control of the municipal body.
Kejriwal was the first to hit streets with the AAP campaign during the day in Paharganj where he alleged that the capital's sanitation could not be improved by his government as the responsibility was with the BJP-led municipality.
"Do not vote for those who want to stop the development and welfare work in Delhi...Give us one chance to clean Delhi. We will deliver results," Kejriwal said, indicating his party's campaign plank for the December 4 polls. The counting of votes will be on December 7.
"You gave me 67 out of 70 seats in assembly elections. I am fond of the taste of such victories. I do not want anything less than that," he added.
AAP also got a boost during the day as former Congress MP Mahabal Mishra, who is said to have some hold in the Poorvanchali voters, joined the party. His son had joined AAP during the 2020 elections.
BJP fielded 14 leaders, which also included Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami and Union Ministers Meenakshi Lekhi and Jitendra Singh, in the evenings as they held roadshows. The presence of Nadda and Rajnath showed that the party is not leaving any stone unturned.
Sarma was quoted as saying by ANI during the roadshow. "Our country doesn't need Aftab (Shraddha murder case accused) but a person like Lord Ram, a leader like PM Modi. We need Uniform Civil Code & law against love jihad. We need such laws where Aftabs can be hanged to death.”
"People's excitement makes it clear what the result of the election will be. Kejriwal is best in theatrics. He thinks Hindus are enemies, but can India exist without Hindus?He should apologise for riots in Delhi during CAA (implementation).BJP will win this election," he added.
Nadda said people of Delhi are tired of the Kejriwal government, which is corrupt.