New Delhi, May 8 (IANS) Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi on Wednesday held a road show in support of boxer Vijender Singh whom the party has fielded from the South Delhi Lok Sabha constituency.
Amid the triangular contest against Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) sitting MP Ramesh Bidhuri and Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Raghav Chadha, the Congress expected that Gandhi’s road show will be a booster for the Congress candidate and swing people’s support in favour of the party.
However, the road show, which began around 7 p.m. from Dakshinpuri, could not gather as much of crowd as the party had anticipated. Covering a distance of around 1.5 km, this was Gandhi’s second roadshow in the city on Wednesday after one for Delhi North East candidate and former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in east Delhi.
Though the number of Congress supporters in the South Delhi roadshow was not more than 1,000, excluding party members, there was much enthusiasm among some voters who gathered near the Virat Cinema in Dakshinpuri area, the starting point.
“I am a resident of of Devli. I came here to see Priyanka and meet Vijender. Priyanka’s whole family almost lost their lives for the country and people are trying to erase the her party. It will not be repeated again from South Delhi. Vijender would secure a tremendous victory and Rahul Gandhi would be the Prime Minister,” Rani, from Balmiki community of Devli, told IANS.
Another supporter Kusum, who was part of a group of women at the starting point of the roadshow, said: “This elections is in the name of employment. I hope only Congress will fulfil our needs.”
Naved Ahmed, a resident of Dakshinpuri, said that “the whole area here was once established by the Congress”. “Now, Vijender will get the support of everyone in all the 10 assembly constituencies in South Delhi. In his busy schedule, he has almost visited all the assembly constituencies and is very liberal than BJP’s Ramesh Bidhuri.”
Zahoor Ahmed, who was part of the roadshow and was riding his scooty, said: “I voted for the BJP in 2014 elections. But, the party cheated everyone. There is no job. Unemployment is increasing. Demonetisation and GST (Goods and Services Tax) have ruined business. I will vote for Congress this time.”
The roadshow, which crossed through narrow lanes of the Indira Market and different blocks of Dakshinpuri area, however, been a centre of attraction for the residents who cheered and waved hands seeing Priyanka Gandhi and Vijender Singh sitting together on a car.
Wearing a red sari, Gandhi responded to the people by waving her hand in return with a smile.
–IANS
rak/vd