New Delhi: Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi today held a massive roadshow in the national capital during which he was showered with flower petals. People, cutting across community, religion and social rank, were seen rallying behind Gandhi, who was on an open pick-up truck.
The roadshow began at around 3.15 pm, from Azad Market Chowk in Sadar Bazar constituency and passed through the old streets of the capital before ending at the Jama Masjid in Matia Mahal constituency.
It was an unbroken chain of excitement as besides the charged-up crowd on the ground chanting praises for their leader, people perched on roof-tops and balconies showered flower petals and clicked pictures.
“You can see people from across all communities and religions today showered us with rose petals during Rahul Gandhiji's roadshow and we are confident that the flower petals showered upon us will translate into as many votes,” General Secretary Ajay Maken, who accompanied Gandhi during the event, said.
Congress, which ruled Delhi for three consecutive terms, was ousted by debutant Aam Aadmi Party in the 2013 Assembly polls.
Gandhi, who traversed a journey of about 4 km, covering three Assembly constituencies, was accompanied by DPCC chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, Indian Youth Congress President Amrinder Singh Raja, and three other party candidates—
Haroon Yusuf (Ballimaran), Shoaib Iqbal (Matia Mahal) and Prahlad Singh Sahni (Chandni Chowk).
But, the otherwise synchronised movement of Congress party's parade, was slightly upset by a group of young AAP supporters, who chanted “jhadoo, paanch saal Kejriwal”, when Gandhi's vehicle passed by them, in Lal Kuan area in Ballimaran constituency.
“Yes, we came to show our protest, as Ballimaran's sitting Congress MLA Haroun Yusuf has done nothing for us. He just shows up every five years to seek votes. We wanted to convey our displeasure over him to Rahul Gandhi. We are not party members but we support AAP,” Sameer, one of the protesters, said.
Congress, in last Delhi polls, had finished a poor third with a meagre eight seats, while AAP had garnered 28. BJP came out as the single-largest party with 31 seats, falling short of a majority.
