"My competition is with BJP. However, V K Singh is not a big guy like Rajnath Singh. What is this new guy doing? Had he contested from Noida, he would have managed a lot of votes from armed forces. But, he has been given Ghaziabad. So, he is totally a sacrificial lamb," Ilmi told PTI.
Claiming that there was no "so-called" Modi wave in this high-profile constituency, bordering Delhi, she said if at all it was there then the BJP President would not have to run away from here.
"When a senior leader can't do anything, why they send this new guy? I have not seen any Modi wave here. Even if it is there, it is getting obstruct by anti-incumbency and that's an advantage for me," Ilmi said.
The journalist-turned-politician said she has "very huge chance of victory" from Ghaziabad and has support from across caste lines in the constituency which has an almost even rural and urban voters totalling 23.55 lakh voters.
After winning election, she intends to "do a lot of work" for the constituency where the "situation is extremely bad".
The party, she said, would eventually look at having its corporators and legislators in the state subsequently so that development work could be fast-paced in the coming days.
