In the run-up to Delhi’s Assembly elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday launched a strong critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing them of promoting a “false propaganda and PR model” for governance. Gandhi emphasized that Delhi deserved the “real development model” that had been championed by former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.
Sharing a video montage on his Facebook page, Gandhi highlighted pressing issues such as inflation, unemployment, pollution, and corruption. “Bad construction, dirt, inflation, unemployment, pollution, and corruption – the truth of Delhi is in front of the public,” he stated in his post.
The Congress leader went on to say, “Delhi now wants the same real development model of Sheila Dikshit ji, not the false propaganda and PR model of Modi and Kejriwal.” His comments were made ahead of the Assembly elections in Delhi, where his party is seeking to regain a foothold in the capital.
Gandhi’s Absence from Public Meetings
Gandhi, who has been unwell, could not address a public meeting in the Sadar Bazar Assembly constituency on Wednesday. Instead, a message from him was read out to the rally attendees, where he appealed to the people of Delhi to support the Congress in the upcoming elections.
Due to his health issues, Gandhi also missed attending the ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’ rally in Belagavi, Karnataka, earlier this week. He had also been unable to hold a political program in the New Delhi constituency earlier this month.
Gandhi’s Criticism of Modi and Kejriwal
Earlier in the campaign, Gandhi had launched a blistering attack on both Modi and Kejriwal, claiming there was little difference between the two leaders. He argued that both Modi and Kejriwal were not committed to ensuring that backward communities, Dalits, tribals, and minorities received their due share.
In his first public meeting targeting Kejriwal for the Delhi Assembly polls, Gandhi accused the AAP leader of following the “Modi strategy of propaganda and false promises.” He highlighted the growing challenges of pollution, corruption, and inflation in Delhi under Kejriwal’s leadership.
Congress Promises a Caste Survey
During his campaign, Gandhi also promised to conduct a caste survey in Delhi if the Congress were to form the government. He lauded the work done under the leadership of Sheila Dikshit, emphasizing the positive impact of her administration on the city.
Gandhi claimed that neither Kejriwal nor the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could match Congress’ track record of governance in Delhi.
