Congress' show of power with its huge 'gulabi sena'

Party's rally at Ramlila Maidan gave a clear message to opposition that it was ready for a head-on fight

It was the smiling faces of the ‘triumvirate’ Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Congress scion Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that was splashed across posters and hoardings enroute to Ramlila maidan, the site of Congress’ Maha rally. The rally which drew in crowds from neighbouring Haryana, Rajasthan and even Madhya Pradesh, was also aimed at being a massive show of strength for the beleaguered Congress party.

Therefore, Congress chief ministers spared no effort in bringing in the crowds with Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, leading the pack. Hooda even praised his ‘Gulabi sena’ pink-turbaned supporters from Haryana, who far exceeded the capacity at the venue. “Next time, Delhi will have to provide a larger venue than this ground,” Hooda said.

While more than one lakh people managed to make their way inside, the heavily barricaded venue, there were thousands still milling outside, unable to make their way in. While there were traffic snarls right down from the Delhi border and NCR region, many could be seen making their way to the venue even after the rally got over by 1 pm.

Both Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and his Rajasthan counterpart Ashok Gehlot, who addressed the crowds before the arrival of the senior leadership, urged that Congress scion Rahul Gandhi should be given a bigger role at the national level so that a larger message goes to the youth and the country.

Among other leaders who also spoke at the venue, were the Pradesh Committee chiefs in Opposition states of Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka; Kantilal Bhuria and D Parameshwar respectively. Both lambasted their respective BJP ruled-state governments for being steeped in corruption ranging from mining scam to land scam.

The rally was a bid by the Congress to get its message across to the Opposition camp and its detractors that it was not on the defensive but was in it for the fight; a fact that was borne out by the unusual combativeness of both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

The celebratory mood of the party workers at the venue was on display with Congress flags, festoons, posters on FDI and eve the blue flags of the youth wing of the party NSUI everywhere.

The rally according to some was also a test for Delhi chief minister Sheila Diskhit, who will be hoping that the rally would kick-start the countdown to Delhi assembly elections next year. That she had succeeded in organizing a massive show was evident as Congress scion Rahul Gandhi, lauded her for “changing the face of the city of Delhi.”

Union minister Shashi tharoor in his characteristic style tweeted from the venue, “ #Congress President Sonia Gandhi concludes robust speech with three cheers of "Jai Hind"!  #and posted a picture of the massive gathering.