New Delhi: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi was among the high-profile people who queued up this morning to vote in the Delhi Assembly election.
Clad in a while kurta-pyjama and a half-jacket, Gandhi cast his ballot at booth number 88 at Aurangazeb Lane in New Delhi constituency from where Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is contesting.
There were 25 people ahead of Gandhi in the queue when he arrived at the booth at around 10:30 AM. The EVM at polling booth in Aurangazeb Lane, where Rahul cast his vote, malfunctioned earlier but was immediately rectified. Gandhi stood in the queue for around 32 minutes before his turn came to cast his vote.
The Congress Vice President had addressed two election rallies in the city one of which witnessed a low turnout. Bharti Group chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal was among those who exercised their franchise at the Aurangazeb Lane booth in the morning.
The elction is witnessing a triangular contest among Congress, BJP and newbie Aam Admi Party.
Next: Dikshit keeping fingers crossed for her toughest battle
Dikshit keeping fingers crossed for her toughest battle
New Delhi: Facing the toughest battle of her political career, three-time Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today said she has kept her "fingers crossed" on the outcome of the election where ruling Congress, BJP and new entrant Aam Admi Party are locked in a keen tussle. "I will keep my fingers crossed," she said, refusing to show a victory sign when photographers at her residence requested for it. When asked whether she was worried about AAP's possible impact, Dikshit said "no".
75-year-old Dikshit, who led Congress to three consecutive electoral victories in Delhi, said her government ensured inclusive development in the last 15 years and hoped that people of the city will give the ruling party another opportunity to serve them. "I am fighting the polls with confidence. We have ensured consistent development. We followed an agenda of inclusive development. We made Delhi the best city.
"The Opposition made tall claims and tried to defame us. But people of Delhi know about our performance. I think they will vote considering what will be good for them," she said before stepping out of her residence to vote. The entry of Arvind Kejriwal's AAP has changed the dimension of the fight in the polls and it will be interesting to see whether the newbie will just be a "spoiler" or win some seats as predicted by opinion polls, riding on its anti-corruption plank.
The Chief Minister is also facing a stiff fight in her New Delhi constituency where Kejriwal and former Delhi BJP chief Vijender Gupta are her main opponents. Dikshit has been representing the constituency for the last 15 years and her development model will face tough test in the area which comprises over 1.18 lakh voters, 60 per cent of whom are government employees and their families.
A recent opinion poll had predicted that Kejriwal may humble Dikshit in the constituency but she strongly debunked the survey result, questioning its credibility.
