Delhi polls: Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal slug it out on the last day of election campaign

New Delhi: Thursday was a hectic day for both Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal, the chief ministerial candidates of BJP and AAP, as it was the last day of campaigning for Delhi Assembly Elections.

February 7 elections are perceived to be a direct contest between BJP and AAP and in all probability either Kiran Bedi or Arvind Kejriwal will take over as Chief Minister of Delhi after results are out on February 10.

India TV Digital decided to track the two probable Chief Ministers on the last day of election campaign.

We started the day with AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal who made a whirlwind tour of his New Delhi Assembly constituency.

Arvind Kejriwal was moving with a large contingent of AAP supporters and he conducted both pad-yatras and road-shows in his constituency.

Standing on a tailor-made campaign- vehicle, Kejriwal was waving at the supporters, onlookers and those watching him from their balconies in residential colonies.

 
Interestingly, around 70 percent of supporters moving with Kejriwal were not locals. They were largely from far away states like Maharashtra and Rajasthan. What was it that motivated them to come and campaign for AAP in these elections?

“We want Kejriwal to eradicate corruption and we are here to ensure his victory”, said Dinesh Khare who has come from Maharashtra to campaign for AAP.
Who takes care of their expenses?

“The party pays for our food and accommodation but we also have to spend from our own pockets and we do it happily. We are here as our heart asked us to do so,” explains Piyush Jain who belongs to Rajasthan and is in Delhi these days to campaign for Kejriwal and his party.

“Party workers have worked very hard in these elections. I am very sure that people of Delhi will come out in large numbers and vote to elect an AAP government with full majority. The people want the 49-days govt to take over for full 5-years,” said Arvind Kejriwal.

 
What do people of his constituency think of his and his party's chances in these elections?

“ Kejriwal should win from this constituency because his 49-days rule ended corruption,” said Vivek Kumar, a govt employe and  resident of Kalibari area which was just visited by Kejriwal.

Do the women of Delhi prefer Kiran Bedi over Kejrial for CM post?

“ Kiran Bedi doesn't have the softness in behaviour that a woman is known for. She is very dictatorial and does not know how to communicate. She does not talk nicely,” said Sarita, an employee of Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.  

This was surprising as it came from a woman who questioned Kiran Bedi's approach towards the electorate especially women. Has Kiran Bedi failed to connect with even the women folk of Delhi? Well, the question will be answered on Feb 10 only.

Arvind Kejriwal's cavalcade stopped at the renowned church ‘Cathedral Of The Sacred Heart' near Connaught Place and the AAP leader went inside to offer prayers and we decided to leave him at that point and move to Krishna Nagar, the constituency of Kiran Bedi.

Kiran Bedi was scheduled to do a road show from 12 noon but she was around 3 hours late as the BJP's CM candidate was reportedly in a meeting with lawyers who were angry with her for the lathi-charge that she had ordered on them during her stint as IPS officer.

The road show, in the absence of Bedi, was kicked off by Dr Harsh Vardhan, the union minister who had won from this constituency in 2013 Assembly elections. It was a huge procession with supporters shouting slogans, not of Bedi but Modi, and bands playing at full throttle.
 
Why do political parties deploy band parties in such road shows? Doesn't it look pompous? Nobody had an answer to these questions.

In contrast to Arvind Kejriwal's road show, BJP's procession largely consisted of locals and residents of neighboring areas although there were a few people from far away states like Madhya Pradesh as well.

After sometime, Kiran Bedi arrived and joined the road show. She was, for a change, looking confident and full of energy and it was in full contrast to what she looked like on Wednesday. Bedi had tears in her eyes that day and she wept in full public glare.

Was she nervous or Bedi was just overwhelmed by people's love as the BJP's CM candidate had claimed? Whatever be the truth, today was a new day and one could see the confidence in her eyes.

“You can see the response. I am very confident of BJP's victory in these elections. I have got blessings of the god,” said Bedi.

What do the people of Krishna Nagar think about her and BJP's chances in these elections?

“This is a BJP bastion as the majority of the residents are Jansanghis (former members of Jansangh, earlier avtar of BJP). Anybody, even you, can win from here on a BJP ticket,” said Dr Sudhir, a resident of Krishna Nagar Assembly constituency.

“ Kiran Bedi is the right candidate, she will emerge victorious and BJP will form the government,” quipped a lady of the same locality.

But there was a diverging opinion as well.

“ My vote will go for AAP because my electricity bill had gone down during Kejriwal's 49-days rule,” said Renu Gupta, a housewife, who was hopeful of a change in the constituency.

Renu appeared to be in a minority in what looks like an easy contest for BJP's chief ministerial candidate.

By now, it was 6pm and the campaign for one of the most fiercely fought battles for Assembly elections in Delhi had finally come to an end.

The people of Delhi have listened to all arguments and counter-arguments of warring political parties but they will open their cards on the D-day only.

Delhites will decide the fate of Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal along with all other candidates on February 7 and the final verdict will be out on February 10.

(With Dinesh Kandpal)