Today is the last day of campaigning for the February 7 Delhi Assembly elections and all three parties have pulled out stops to reach the dissuaded voters. In this final lap, we bring you five must-read stories that speak of the issues, the talking points and the essential campaign gossip in these elections. 1. Read: 'Where they all talk Congress but many may walk AAP' by Vandita Mishra In the narrow alleys and by-lanes of old Delhi constituencies like Chandni Chowk, Ballimaran and Matia Mahal, which have substantial Muslim voters, you might get to hear a lot of praise for the Congress, but it is its rival, the AAP, that's making rapid inroads among the community. Changing calculations of Kejriwal's party are opening up space for debate in these constituencies. 2. Read: 'Rahul out in Kejriwalled city' by Aniruddha Ghosal When Rahul Gandhi's road show progressed through the Walled City, the Congress supporters were seen sweeping the AAP pamphlets away from the streets from an earlier procession. In what was a Congress stronghold, there are many who say the party's charm may have waned. 3. Read: 'Campus chatter shows DU's slow shift to AAP' by Pritha Chatterjee In the student citadels of Delhi university, widespread support for BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi seem to be giving way to the AAP. “Is so much power in one hand ever a good idea?” a student asks, referring to the BJP. In the last DU elections, the BJP had swept across colleges. 4. Read: 'The loyalist dithers' by Ashutosh Bhardwaj In the last 10 days, a trend that's being seen in these elections is that even hardcore supporters of major parties are beginning to give more credit to their opponents, although grudgingly. This could indeed point to a paradigm shift in voter preferences. Does that mean the loyalist could be easily persuaded? Read on. 5. Read: 'In AAP, the Purvanchali finds ‘people we can identify with’' by Pritha Chatterjee "We didn't even know when we became Delhiites," says Jha who had migrated from Bihar to Delhi when he was in his early teens. Before 2013, the Poorvanchalis were solidly behind the Congress, then switched to AAP, then went to the BJP in the general elections. Read on to find out who they could be supporting this time.
