Campaign for Delhi assembly polls ends

NEW DELHI: Curtains today came down on the high-decibel campaign in one of the most-fiercely contested Assembly elections in Delhi where BJP has staked its all on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's image against a resurgent Aam Aadmi Party in the February 7 polls.

Roadshows by AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal in the prestigious New Delhi constituency and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Sultanpur Majra capped a day of nearly 100 rallies by leaders of various parties including BJP president Amit Shah as campaign ended at 6 PM.

After the end of the campaign marked by bitter political attacks and allegations and counter allegations, workers of the major parties fanned out on a door-to-door canvassing in 70 constituencies.

The BJP, which is out of power in Delhi for the last 16 years, made a gamble by brining in former Team Anna member Kiran Bedi as its Chief Ministerial candidate which is said to have triggered discontent among the party leaders and rank and file.

The BJP strategy has been countered by Kejriwal-led AAP which has put up a spirited campaign in a bid to stop the Modi juggernaut that has been on a roll ever since the Lok Sabha election victory in May last year.

Already BJP leaders Shah and Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu have said that the Delhi election is not a referendum on the Modi government's performance, a statement seen by critics as an effort to shield the Prime Minister from any criticism.

The Congress which had ruled Delhi for 15 years till December, 2013 has been projected way behind AAP and BJP in pre-poll surveys. Some opinion polls have given AAP a clear majority while a few have predicted BJP's win.