Wait, listen to Rahul: Dikshit tells hungry crowd (Sidelights)

The crowd in Ambedkar Nagar Sunday had breakfast in a hurry to hear Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, but he only showed up near lunch time. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit exhorted the crowd to wait, not rush back for lunch.

In the crowd were also elderly women who had waited hours for Gandhi to arrive at the rally.

"I ask all those dear sisters who are leaving to wait for 10 minutes and listen to Rahul Gandhi. I know you are feeling hungry, but wait for a while," Dikshit said, looking at a group of women who started to leave the Virat Cinema Ground in south Delhi's Ambedkar Nagar.

"Thank you," said Dikshit, when the women heeded her and decided to stay on.

The Congress vice president was to address the party campaign event at 11 a.m., but arrived well after 1 p.m.

Around 5,000 people had gathered to hear Gandhi, largely from the nearby resettlement colonies considered a vote bank area of the Congress.

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Many complain of price rise

Though the crowd cheered when Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi appeared on the stage to speak, on the sidelines many were heard complaining of the back-breaking prices of essential commodities.

"It does not matter whether the Congress comes to power, or the BJP. Our plight will remain the same," said Omwati, a 60-year-old who had come to the Virat Cinema Ground venue in south Delhi's Ambedkar Nagar.

As she and others started venting their ire over the price rise, a woman Congress worker appeared on the scene and shushed them up. She told them to shout loudly "Rahul Gandhi zindabad".

Gandhi spoke for over six minutes, recounting the developments in the city during the Congress rule.

He praised Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, saying she had changed the face of Delhi and asked the people to vote for the Congress party.