Campaign trail: Tireless Harsh Vardhan draws warm vibes

NEW DELHI: He's been out campaigning since 6am, and after moving through five assembly constituency areas BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Chandni Chowk, Harsh Vardhan, calls a halt for lunch at an ashram in Pitampura, at 2.30pm. But it's not really a break as local people have been waiting to greet him. While he talks and has lunch, members of the All India Momin Conference (AIMC) wait outside for almost an hour to meet him.

"He is an honest man. He is the only secular face the party (BJP) has in Delhi," says Al-Haaj Mohd. Imran Ansari, secretary of Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, quickly clarifying that he has come to meet Vardhan as vice-president of AIMC.

Ansari says Muslims are unlikely to support BJP even though Congress has not done much for them. But another AIMC member says, "Muslim youths are looking at employment and development as key issues. Their views are different from their parents'. Today, many Muslims see AAP as an alternative. It is going to be a tough fight in Chandni Chowk as Vardhan is secular. He gets a lot of support from Muslims".

Emerging from the ashram, Vardhan apologizes to the group for making them wait and patiently hears them. "It is a misconception that Muslims will not vote for BJP. There are a lot of people who want development," he says before hitting the trail again.

The Delhi BJP chief prefers to visit one or two places in each of Chandni Chowk's 10 assembly constituencies daily. On Friday, he met morning walkers in Adarsh Nagar, an RWA in Ashok Vihar and then went on a road show in Tri Nagar, greeting masses of people. "He would have been Delhi CM had BJP got 3-4 more seats. It is because of him that the party did so well in Delhi. We have seen Congress' rule. The MP has hardly visited the area in the past five years," said Ashok Nagpal, a resident.

Vardhan says people want change. "They will not vote for Congress as the party has failed them. They feel let down by AAP. They see BJP as a reliable alternative." Pressing on through the constituency, he says he doesn't go home these days. "I stay wherever I do my last rally, as I have to start at 5.30am".