The buzz Arvind created is more against Congress than for him

“Last time,the majority here voted for the Congress. This time no less than 60 per cent have indicated their preference for the jhaadu (the AAP’s election symbol),” says Sukhdev. “Of the rest,the majority are in favour of the BJP.”

He explains his role: “I am in charge of the security of the AAP’s votes. I will not let anyone exert undue influence here till polling day.” Sukhdev pledges to arrange for a camera to monitor this. He keeps the voter list with photographs in hand.

The camp is part of New Delhi,a constituency of 1.24 lakh voters,where incumbent chief minister Sheila Dikshit is pitted against Kejriwal and former BJP state president Vijender Gupta in the most high-profile contest in the capital.

At another Jhuggi Jhhopri camp,near Rani Laxmi Bai Nagar,some residents say they do look at the jhaadu as their second option,ahead of the BJP. “Sheila Dikshit has done good work,but some people are drifting towards the jhaadu because of rising prices,” says Anita,while other women in the camp nod in agreement and while some of their children play with masks of Harsh Vardhan,the BJP’s chief ministerial candidate,which were distributed from a campaign van that passed by a couple of hours earlier.

On the last day of campaigning,sentiments expressed by various voters indicate that Kejriwal has managed better in creating a wave against the Dikshit government than in creating one towards himself. As such,the anger Kejriwal has fuelled could come in handy for the BJP candidate. Many vendors at Sarojini Nagar Market,for instance,cite the alleged corruption and price rise to explain why they will ditch the Congress in favour of the BJP,though there is a section among them that says they will vote for the AAP.

“Prices have risen too high,” says Arvind Shukla,who hails from UP and owns a pavement shop at Sarojini Nagar Market. “The CM anyway has been too busy with the administration for us to approach her and get local issues resolved. It has been too long,a change would not be bad.”

He concedes he voted for the Congress last time. Many others who have migrated from UP and own shops of the pavement agree with him in that they need a change.

None of them has anything against Kejriwal,and many in fact have nice things to say about him,but one stresses the AAP’s limitations. “At his rally yesterday,I could not spot one local person whom I could identify.”

“BJP supporters are not drifting towards the AAP as much as those who voted for the Congress last time are,” sums up S K Mishra,who stresses his commitment to the BJP while praising Kejriwal.

That Kejriwal’s offensive appears to have fuelled an anti-Congress sentiment is reflected also in Pilanji village near Sarojini Nagar Market. “Power supply,water supply are erratic,sewers are in bad shape. We got little from Dikshit in the last five years,” says Naveen Baisoya,who hails from the dominant Gurjjar community,as he shares a hookah with about a dozen friends. They too praise Kejriwal but believe it is a straight contest between the BJP and the Congress.

In Kidwai Nagar,some people suggest the contest is between Dikshit and Kejriwal. Mohammed Saeed says he will vote for Kejriwal,disenchanted as he is with the Congress for the price rise. But his friend Mohammed Riaz dismisses it: “Let him say Kejriwal,he will support the Congress.”

Also in the constituency are government employees at quarters at Rani Laxmi Bai Nagar,Kidwai Nagar,and Old R K Ashram Road. A few among them,who claim to be supporters of either the BJP or the AAP,say these two parties are in a direct contest. Given the sizeable presence of the salaried class and Kejriwal’s influence on the poorer sections,traditionally Congress voters,the support from this class will be key.