'Delhi girl' Priyanka Gandhi dares Modi to fight polls on demonetisation, GST

From hitching an autorickshaw ride in Haryana on Tuesday to riding atop a mini-van in Delhi on Wednesday (May 8), Priyanka Gandhi Vadra looked at ease and ready to pose a fresh ‘challenge’ to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “A Delhi girl is giving you an open challenge… In the last two remaining phases, contest the elections on the issues of demonetisation, Goods and Services Tax and women’s security,” she said on Wednesday (May 8).

In Delhi, the Congress general secretary held roadshows to campaign for Congress candidates Sheila Dikshit (Northeast Delhi) and Vijender Singh (South Delhi).

Priyanka was apparently replying to Modi’s recent challenge to the Congress party to fight the remaining phases of the elections on Bofors, anti-Sikh riots and Bhopal gas tragedy. “Everything will come to the fore. How was he [Rajiv Gandhi] as a prime minister? What did he do for the country?”

“I have the courage to put this challenge in front of you. Now let’s see whether Congress and mahamilavati people accept this chowkidar’s challenge,” Modi had said.

Back in Delhi, amid a shower of petals and drum beats accompanied by slogans of Chowkidar Chor Hai, Priyanka attacked the BJP for its obsession with the Nehru Gandhi family and blaming them for everything that’s wrong with the country. “They behave like children who go to school without completing their homework and when the teacher asks them, they say, “Kya karoon, Nehru ji ne mera parcha le liya, chhupa diya. Main kya karoon Indira ji ne kagaz ki kashti bana di mere homework (‘What can I do? Nehru took my answersheet. Indira made a paper boat out of it).”

Earlier today, Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal accused Priyanka of avoiding constituencies where the Congress is in a direct fight with the ruling BJP and “wasting her time” in Delhi.

“She [Priyanka Gandhi] is wasting her time, why doesn’t she campaign in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh? She’s doing rallies in UP against the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party, she’s doing rallies in Delhi against AAP. Both brother and sister aren’t going to those places where there’s a direct fight with the BJP,” Kejriwal said.

However, the Congress is confident that of a good show in Delhi that will not just help restrict the BJP but will also boost its prospects in the Assembly polls next year.

All seven seats of Delhi will go to polls in a single phase on May 12.