Campaigning for the February 5 assembly elections will come to an š®end on Monday evening.
With three days to go for the assembly polls, Delhi saw ša high-voltage 'Super Sunday' of campaigning as the BJP, AAP and Congress escalated their war of words with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra leading the charge.
Campaigning for the Febrš uary 5 assembly elections wšill come to an end on Monday evening. The counting of votes will be undertaken on February 8.
The national capital is witnessing a triangular contest between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), BJP and Congress for tš³he 70-member Delhi Assembāly elections.
The BJP scheduled 80 rallies on Sunday. Several Union ministers, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Unāion minister Chirag Paswan, and at least five chief ministers of BJP-ruled š states hit the streets, attacking AAP.
The Delhi assembly elections are being seen as a referendum on AAP's governance mš¦odel and the rš§uling party's chief Arvind Kejriwal.
As AAP battles to retain its stronghold for a third consecutive term, the BJP is aiming for a comeback after 26 years.
Addressing a rally in RK Puram, Modi slammed AAP alleging that the party ruling Delhi made false promises and indulged in corruption. He accused "AAP-da" of destroying 11 years of the national capitaą·“l and claimed that a double-engine government dedicated to development and growth will now be elected.
Modi said to the crowds: "Enš„tire Delhi is now saying -- ab ki baar", andā the gathering chanted "Modi sarkar".
The prime minister later in a post on Xš said, "Delhiites trust only the BJP because it does what it says. It is clear from the huge crowd gathered in RK Puram that the 'lotus' will bloom in Delhi."
Lotus is the BJP's poll symbol.
On his part, āAAP convener and former Delhi chief minister Kejriwal launched a fź¦«resh salvo at the BJP, accusing it of resorting to "hooliganism" ahead of the February 5 assembly elections.
Kejriwal accused the BJP workers of threatening and assaulting AAP volunteers šand supporters in the New Delhi constituency where he is coš±ntesting against BJP's Parvesh Verma and Congress' Sandeep Dikshit.
"Our leaders and suppoą± rters are bāØeing threatened to join the BJP or face arrest and attacks. But we cannot be scared," he said, adding that Delhi will not tolerate such "intimidation tactics".
Kejriwal announced the launch of a new social media campaign with the hashtag 'AmitShahKiGoondagardi' on X as its response to the alleged threats. Several video clips and messages were posted from the verified handles of Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, AAP and otheār party leaders and workeršs.
The Congress, which ruled Delhi for 15 years until 2013, came down heavily on both the BJP and AAP. Addressing a public meeting in Seemapuri, senior leader Priyanka Gandhi alleged thatšŗ both PM Modi and Kejriwal are alike andā both are "slaves of big industrialists".
She slammš§ed Kejriwal, saying his politics emerged from the assāertion that "I am honest and everyone is a thief". "Beware of those who say so," Priyanka Gandhi said.
"Kejriwal came based on honesty but what happį£ened? The liquor scam took place," she said.
"Modi ji said we are į©į©į©į©į©į©ā¤ā¤ā¤ā¤į©ā¤ā¤ā¤ā¤į©ā¤ā¤ā¤ā¤į©š±į©į©į©honest and these Congress people are thieves. What honesty has he shown in the last 10 years? He handed over the entire resources of the counštry to Adani-Ambani," she alleged.
Senior BJP āleader Rajnath Singh at a rally in Rajinder Nagar claimed that the AAP dispensation in Delhi refused central assistance out of āfear that the credit would go to the Narendra Modi-led Union government.
Singh said India's economy had grown under the BJP government but Delhi dą¶£id not benefit.
Punjab Chief Ministeār Bhagwant Mann urged voters to choose education over violence, stating that AAP is working towards empowering the yošuth.
Addressing a roadshow in Jangpura as part of AAP's election šcampaign, Mann claimed that the people of Delhi have already made up their minds and the voting on February 5 is just a fošrmality.
"People have only two options -- one is a party that prioritises education and the other that thrives on conflict. You must decide which path to take," š¹Mann said.
šUnion minister Chirag Paswan, whose Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is contesting from Deoli reserved assembly seat in alliance with the BJP, also held a rally in support of the saffron party and expressed hope that it would win the assembly election in Delhi, citing growing resentment against AAP.
"Where I go, I see people's enthuš²siasm for the NDA and the BJP, and growing resentment against AAP," Paswan są“aid.