BJP : Congress has thrown in towel, eyes on Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP)

New Delhi – As campaigning drew to a close on Monday, senior BJP leaders targeted Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP), insisting surveys showing Kejriwal’s party in the lead were fit to be trashed. The Congress, they said, was hardly a challenge any more and BJP would comfortably form government in Delhi.

An energized Harsh Vardhan, BJP’s CM candidate, made the rounds of TV studios, addressed a series of meetings and marched through his constituency – Krishna Nagar. The impression senior BJP leaders sought to convey was Congress had been dislodged as their principal adversary even before the first vote was cast. “The loser is known (Congress). What remains to be seen is the lead BJP gets and the kind of a presence the new party (AAP) records in its maiden outing,” Arun Jaitley told reporters.

Addressing road shows, Vardhan was effusive, thanking people for their “overwhelming” support. The one good thing about his party’s campaign, he said, was that it remained “positive”.

“We could have attacked Congress, but preferred to project our vision and plans for Delhi. I have visited many constituencies. I am touched by the public support. I have seen several elections but the response this time has been special,” he gushed. In his last lap, he touched several Muslim-majority areas of his constituency — Rasheed Market, Geeta Colony.

Later, Jaitley addressed a press conference, where he talked of Congress’ ‘listless’ campaign. “In the Congress the candidates are on their own. The party has given up. Their leaders abandoned the campaign two weeks ago.”

Sushma Swaraj was convinced of a BJP win. “There is a strong anti-incumbency against Congress both in Delhi and at the Centre. Voters are intelligent. On December 4, they will resoundingly vote for a single party that is the obvious alternative. People have made up their minds to defeat Congress. She called AAP’s claim that it will bag 44 to 47 seats a day dream that will be shattered.”

The party presented a picture of unity. The cracks that had damagingly surfaced between Vijay Goel and Vardhan were nowhere to be seen. “This time we are united. Every leader – Goel, Vardhan, V K Malhotra have played their roles very well,” Jaitley said, as Goel and Vardhan sat next to each other.