Sushma does jeep yatra to make most of Id holiday

The Central Government holiday on the occasion of Id-ul-fitr today also worked to her advantage with many of the Government servants in South Delhi having the leisure to give her a full hearing.

It also gave her an opportunity to project a secular side to the BJP. She packed three Id meetings into her schedule. While the elaborate campaign programme started today at 8 a.m., the two high points were the meetings in Sheikh Sarai and VasantVihar.

Sushma appeared to have hit the right note leading a `jeep yatra’ in Sheikh Sarai. “She need not really campaign. We all know what she and the BJP have done for the area. We got street lights in just a week after she was elected. The local parks have improved because of better water facilities,” said Flight-Lieutenant (retd) K.K. Bhatia, a resident of Sheikh Sarai.But an employee with Indian Airlines B.K. Saxena and his wife Kanak Saxena find the noise of the loudspeakers unbearable. “That is the only complaint. On a holiday like this, it is difficult to deal with such commotion. But I guess Sushma needs to campaign, because this time round she did not get any time to work in the constituency,” he said.

She visited the Singh Sabha gurudwara in Sheikh Sarai where she was presented a kirpan.

Said 22-year-old Sharad Gupta, “It is the day today to appease the minorities. But with their history, can the BJP go and talk of secularism in a place like Jama Masjid and get away with it?” he wanted toknow.

A long-time shopkeeper and resident of the area C.P. Bakshi said, “Leaders of such stature should not resort to gimmicks like this, because they are expected to know the real situation. Things do not change by visiting a masjid on Id,” he felt.

Addressing a gathering in Sheikh Sarai along with the area BJP MLA Poornima Sethi, Sushma said, “Strange is the Congress logic — I am an outsider and an Italian is an insider,” reacting to Congress candidate Ajay Maken’scontention that he should be elected to the Parliament as he was a permanent resident of Delhi unlike Swaraj.

Amid slogans of Aap ke sahyog se kamal wala jeethega (With your support, those with the lotus as their emblem will win), she urged people to come in large numbers and cast their vote.

The slogan was different in Vasant Vihar, where her convoy went through the CPWD, CBI and other central government employees housing complexes. Perhaps appropriately, it was Aa raha hein Atal Behari, bhag rahein hain bhrashtachari(Atal Behari is on his way, the corrupt are running away).

Sangeeta Kanwar, 25, a housewife living in the Vasant Vihar DDA flats said after attending a corner meeting addressed by Sushma, “There is something very humble about Sushmaji. Unlike a man , who if he had such political and popular appeal would perhaps have some airs about him.” And she believes that this humility gives a feeling of accessibility to the candidate which is crucial for women.

Addressing an corner meeting in Vasant Vihar attended by about 300 people, Sushma said, “An unstable Government leads to economic decline and problems of law and order. And the Prime Minister is busy looking after his seat. So the first casualty is good governance.”

BJP MLA Poornima Sethi, Sushma said,“On February 16 will be held the last and final election which will decide who will take the country into the 21st Century.” Amid slogans of Aap ke sahyog se kamal wala jeethega (With your support, those with the lotus as their emblem will win),she urged people to come in large numbers and cast their vote.

The slogan was different in Vasant Vihar, where her convoy went through the CPWD, CBI and other central government employees housing complexes. Perhaps appropriately, it was Aa raha hein Atal Behari, bhag rahein hain bhrashtachari (Atal Behari is on his way, the corrupt are running away).