Live: 'Greedy' BJP can't see Sheila's achievements, says Sonia

Watch rally live:

4.00 pm: And its already over

And Sonia wraps up her speech with her trademark : “Jai Hind…aur zor se bolo…jai hind!” That was not a long speech by any standard, but given that the crowds have been there from 12.30pm, wrapping it up quickly is probably not such a bad idea.

Firstpost’s Sandip Roy says that the reactions to the Congress President’s speech were ‘cheerful but not ecstatic’.

3.57 pm: Sonia begins listing Sheila Dikshit’s many achievements as Chief Minister

I want to ask you, since Sheila-ji has been elected, hasn’t the face of Delhi changed?, asks Sonia as the crowd cheers.

The response to her overall, definitely seems better than it was for Rahul’s rally in Dakshinpuri on 16 November.

“People reach work at time. Roads are better. Flyovers, super-speciality hospitals, universities, and so on in every aspect. But our opponents don’t see these changes, they don’t want to see them. They don’t care about your difficulties, only about their greed”, she said.

“Without an ideology can you make policies? No! You are smart voters. See our history, and see our opponents’ history. What they have done for the country, what we have done”

3.53 pm: Sonia praises Congress leaders from the past

And now Sonia seems to be taking a leaf out of Modi’s book by venerating the memories of leaders past. She starts by praising Nehru, saying that despite criticism against him today, progress for India began with him.

She also has praise for Indira Gandhi. “With Indira-ji, our nation had its head held high internationally. But she was attacked”, thunders Sonia from the podium.

3.48 pm: Sonia Gandhi begins addressing crowd in Delhi

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has begun addressing the crowds in Shastri park. She begins by telling the crowd, that she like them, is a Delhi citizen .

“Whatever changes have happened here, we are all benefactors. The proof of progress is there to be seen with our eyes, we don’t need any other proof”, she said.

3.28 pm: Sonia Gandhi arrives for rally

The crowds at Shastri park have been told that Sonia Gandhi has arrived at the rally venue. Security has been asked to let everyone in. Meanwhile Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is addressing the crowds. She appeals to the Congress President for single command even if not full statehood for Delhi. She also promises e-governance and 20 ladies toilets in every constituency.

3.11 pm: Sonia Gandhi to address massive rally in Shastri park

As campaigning reaches fever pitch in Delhi ahead of assembly elections, Congress President Sonia Gandhi will address an election rally in Delhi’s Shastri Park shortly. According to reports, Gandhi will focus on highlighting all the development that has taken place under Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit.

Firstpost editor Sandip Roy who is at the rally, says that the crowd is getting regular updates on Gandhi’s movements such as “Sonia Gandhi has left her house” and “Sonia has reached Yamuna”.

Delhi goes to polls on 04 December.

And according to this report in the Times of India, the Congress is keen to avoid another attendance debacle like it faced for Rahul Gandhi‘s last rally in the capital. It is working overtime to ensure that the crowds pour into Shastri Park, which has a capacity of about 25,000 people.

The report says, “Minister and Gandhi Nagar MLA Arvinder Singh Lovely is coordinating the mobilization along with other MLAs. It is learnt that targets are being assigned to workers and responsibilities are being fixed. Elaborate transport arrangements are being made to ensure that people make it to the venue.”

Hindustan Times added that the “central leadership has also told the state leaders to look into reasons why the crowd was thin and warned them against “complacency.”

The debacle in Dakshinpuri, where sections of an already thin crowd for Rahul Gandhi‘s rally began to leave as he started speaking, has greatly embarrassed the Congress and provided even more fodder for BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. Addressing a rally in Alwar, Rajasthan, Modi said “There are rallies where people are told ‘stop, don’t go; stop, don’t go’. And there are rallies where I have to apologise to people because they could not see me”.