December 13, 2024 10:40 (IST)
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Delhi polls: All eye on Modi vs Kejriwal contest tomorrow
New Delhi, Feb 6 (IBNS): As the countdown has started for the Delhi Assembly elections to commence on Saturday morning, political parties namely the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have involved in a war of words to win the national capital.
The polling on Saturday is majorly seen as a contest between AAP's Arvind Kejirwal's claims versus Prime Minister Narendra Modi's magic following his landslide victory in the Lok Sabha polls last year.
The BJP has taken up a huge gamble and is banking on its chief ministerial candidate Kiran Bedi to form the government in the national capital.
The Congress, riding on the leadership of senior leader Ajay Maken, has also campaigned thoroughly for the past few days. In fact, the final phase campaigning onus was taken up by party vice president Rahul Gandhi himself.
However, the fate of the national capital will be only decided by over 1.33 crore electorates, who will cast votes for 673 candidates in the fray for the Delhi Assembly elections.
Polling will take place at 12,177 polling stations.
Ahead of the polling day, the AAP has claimed that it would record a thumping victory to get 51 seats and form a new government.
In fact several survey's indicated the same.
The AAP, which conducted a survey said party chief Arvind Kejriwal, the most popular choice for the electorate, would be the next chief minister.
AAP leader Yogendra Yadav had said an internal survey of the party suggests that it is likely to win 51 of Delhi's 70 seats. That assessment gives the BJP 15 seats and the Congress and others four.
However, addressing his last election rally, Prime Minister Narenda Modi rubbished such surveys "In the last election, they declared they would win 50 seats even when results were not out...when I was contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi, surveys predicted I would lose badly, but I won," he had said.
In the last Delhi Assembly elections no party managed to get 36 seats-the magic figure for absolute majority leading to a hung house. The BJP had the maximum, 31 seats followed by the AAP,28.
The AAP survey showed that 86 per cent voters have made up their minds which party they will vote for.
Meanwhile, AAP leaders addressing a press conference in Delhi, outright rejected the support of Jama Masjid's Shahi Imam Syed Ahmed Bukhari who came out to give them unsolicited support.
AAP leader Ashish Khetan said the appeal Bukhari on Friday to Muslims to vote for their party in Delhi Assembly polls actually meant to polarize the voters on the eve of polls.
"We not only reject the offer made by Ahmed Bukhari but also want to make it very clear that AAP is here to fight against communal politics that Bukhari represents," said AAP leaders.
AAP leader Ashutosh said in the past the imam had invited the Prime Minister of Pakistan for an occasion of his son's anointment but not the prime minister of India.
"We reject this kind of politics," said AAP leaders in unison.
AAP also slammed Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who said the people of Delhi have to choose between "governance and anarchy."
BJP's Arun Jaitley on Friday attacked the AAP and said the party's 49-day rule in Delhi was a 'nightmare'.
"AAP's 49-day government was a nightmare," Jaitley told reporters.
He said the party is more comfortable on the streets than in the offices.
Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is facing the CBI heat over the Saradha scam, also had urged voters to back the AAP.
To put up a safe election show, a massive security cordon as 55,000 policemen will take to the street on the day of Assembly poll on Saturday to ensure free and fair election in the capital.
Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi said on Friday that 55,000 policemen will be deployed on the poll day and patrolling has already started in the sensitive areas.
He said senior officers are being deputed to monitor the situation while 3900 CCTV cameras will be used for surveillance.
"We will do virtual patrolling from 3900 CCTV cameras," he said.
The fight for supremacy in this high voltage election is expected to be confined among the Bharatiya Janata Party, Arvind Kejriwal's AAM AAdmi Party and the Congress.
Replying a question on the AAP's allegation of police being pressurised to be partisan, Bassi said they were working under no pressure. "Naresh Baliyan was suspected and thus was called for questioning. We had evidence against Baliyan. We are not harassing anybody."
An AAP leader and candidate, Naresh Baliyan has been called by police for questioning in connection with a liquor case.
Bassi claims that Delhi police is an independent body and it never succumbs to any kind of pressure from any outside body.
The counting of votes to the 70-member Assembly will be held on February 10.
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