BJP leaders have a fascination for rath yatras. From L K Advani to Narendra Modi to Rajnath Singh, all have used the modified Toyota or Mitsubishi trucks in the past to travel across the length and breadth of the country and reach people.

Now, with Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections round the corner, state BJP president Vijendra Gupta have decided to criss-cross across the national capital on a rath to “highlight failure of Delhi government” from February 11.

Gupta is using the same rath (GJ-18X-9712) that was used by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi to canvass votes before the 2007 Assembly elections. However, the moot question is whether it will prove as lucky for BJP in Delhi as it proved for Gujarat where it returned to power?

Gupta announced the planned rath yatra at the party headquarter on Wednesday.
“I am taking up the Jan Sangharsh Rath Yatra for the purpose of exposing the evil deeds of Delhi Government which is responsible for bungling, price rise, deteriorating condition of Delhi, and creating awareness among the people for dislodging the Congress government,” said Gupta.

The yatra will be flagged-off by BJP national president Nitin Gadkari from Burari village in west Delhi, he added.

Gupta is scheduled to travel around 1,000 km across various  lanes, mohallas, villages and markets of Delhi before ending the journey on February 25 at Chandni Chowk.

“The corruption by the chief minister as exposed in Shunglu committee report, CAG and CVC report is still continuing but the Congress president and Prime Minister keep patting her back instead of allowing a legal action. Now, the people of Delhi are restless and want basic changes in the governance. BJP is committed to good governance and transparent system in Delhi,” said Gupta.

He said around 50 lakh people living in unauthorised colonies of the capital are not getting an environment worth living because of the government’s attitude.

“They are living in hellish conditions due to lack of basic amenities. The government has been promising to regularise the unauthorised colonies since last three Assembly elections but nothing has happened so far,” he added.