BJP, AAP busy with sloganeering, dharna: Sonia Gandhi

Congress president Sonia Gandhi, in a sharpened attack on the BJP and the AAP, Sunday accused the parties of "doing nothing" for the people and just being busy in "sloganeering and dharna".

"The country cannot be run by sloganeering. Work, and not hollow speeches, would take the nation forward," Gandhi said.

She indirectly attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "only being vocal and doing nothing".

Addressing a mammoth election rally, attended by over 15 thousand people, in Mithapur village near Badarpur in south Delhi, the Congress chief said the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Aam Aadmi Party were being run by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and have only one aim - just to oppose the Congress.

"They (BJP and AAP) left Delhi on its own. After the previous Delhi election, we supported the AAP for a stable government but they ran away. Similarly, the BJP, under President's Rule, did nothing to improve the law and order situation and went on working to achieve its own interest," she charged.

Reminding people how Delhi progressed under the Congress with lots of infrastructure, including the Delhi Metro and other facilities, Gandhi said the BJP did not bother to fulfil the promises it had made before the general elections.

"Corruption, price rise and crimes against women are on the rise but they are not bothered," she said.

"Delhi was provided the Metro train, CNG, 24-hour supply of power and water... good healthcare and education was also ensured under the Congress' 15-year rule, but the BJP and the AAP were just trying to befool people," she said.

Gandhi raised questions on how the BJP went on promising everything to capture power, and said it has not delivered anything even after being in power for these many months.

"Where is the black money which was promised? What are they doing to arrest price rise? We carried out lots of progressive work under then prime minister Manmmohan Singh but they just promise and do nothing," she said.

Gandhi also accused the BJP of taking away the good work done by the previous Congress-led governments.

"The Food Security Act and the Land Acquisition Act were actualised under our government but now these are being tampered with through the ordinance way. Farmers are not being given proper minimum support price for their produce and they are suffering. Schemes like these are being destroyed," she said.

"Farmers are struggling to get fertilisers and seeds for their crops. We took many steps to empower the poor, but today the Modi government is weakening these Acts to take away power from the poor," Gandhi said.

The Congress chief also cautioned people to make an informed choice this time, as the BJP or the AAP, if voted to power, would ruin the city further.

She said Delhi needs development and good governance.

"My appeal to you is to cast every vote in favour of the Congress to bring back the atmosphere of development."

Former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely and Haroon Yusuf were among the Congress leaders who accompanied Gandhi on stage.

Voting for the 70-member assembly will take place Feb 7. Votes will be counted Feb 10.