Priyanka, Modi duel in Delhi

The national capital on Wednesday witnessed high-pitched campaigns, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi ripping apart the ‘dynastic politics’ of the Congress and its allies, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra seeking to strike a personal chord with the voters by projecting herself as the ‘Dilli ki ladki’ (Delhi girl).

Priyanka reached out to the voters by undertaking two roadshows in the capital, canvassing for former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit in North-East Delhi and boxer-turned-politician Vijender Singh in South Delhi, while Modi addressed a massive rally at the iconic Ramlila Grounds.

“A Delhi girl is throwing an open challenge at you. Contest the final two phases of the elections on the issues of note ban, GST and women’s safety,” Priyanka said after a roadshow in the minority-dominated areas in North-East Delhi.

She likened Modi to a student attending school without doing homework. “He now claims Nehru took away my answer sheet, and Indira Gandhi made paper boats from his books and had doomed him,” the AICC general secretary said.

“He has failed to protect soldiers, women and youth. Who will hold him accountable? Who will defeat him?” Priyanka asked the gathering, who responded with an emphatic “we will”. She then asked the people to vote for the Congress. Hitting out at the dynastic politics, Modi said this mindset was not restricted to “just one family”, in an apparent reference to the Congress.