Sonia tries to garner support through gestures and emotional appeal

She not only surprised security personnel but also the audience by mingling with the people, especially women, who rushed to shake hands with her. She chose to spend more time in mixing with the people than delivering her speech.

Leaving the venue, she sat in a car. However, as the convoy was about to move, she had second thoughts. Alighting from the vehicle, she went towards the crowd, shocking the security personnel. When the people, on their way home, saw that she was coming towards them, they rushed towards her. Her gesture came after her short speech in which she accused the BJP of being "algaowadi" (separatist) and "phirka parast" (communal), telling the audience that those committing atrocities on tribals and minorities had the blessings of the BJP. She told the audience that they were unsafe under the BJP rule and that only the Congress had the tradition of protecting them.

Her speech, delivered in Hindi, evoked applause as her pronunciation had improved. Further, she kept waving at the audience, except while delivering her speech, throughout her 30 minute presence on the stage.

Considering the fact that Malegaon is a predominantly Muslim town, her gestures were significant. The Malegaon assembly constituency is represented by Shaikh Rashid of the Congress party. Rashid had wrested the seat from Janata Dal’s Nihal Ahmed who had represented the constituency for six consecutive terms till 1999.

It was apparent that the crowds had come to see her, as there were no applauses for any of the other speakers who did nothing but praise Sonia in their speeches. A new slogan Sonia par hai vishwas, baki hai sab bakwas was coined.

A significant factor was the presence of women in large numbers for the rally. However, a large chunk of the audience was from outside Malegaon town.