Modi, Kejriwal share same playbook: Rahul Gandhi sets the tone for Delhi campaign

North-east Delhi shivered in the crisp winter evening breeze of a Lohri evening, as Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stood under bright floodlights, launching his party's campaign for the Delhi assembly elections with the slogan ‘Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan’.

The rally, held in Seelampur (Shahdara) — an area still haunted by the communal riots of 2020 — was as much a call to action as it was a scathing critique of both the BJP and the AAP campaigns in the NCR.

“This is not just a political fight; it is a battle of ideologies,” Gandhi declared to a crowd wrapped in shawls and jackets.

“The BJP–RSS people spread hatred and divide communities. But the Constitution reminds us that India belongs to everyone,” he added, drawing cheers from an audience.

The air was heavy with memories of pain and loss. North-east Delhi continues to carry the emotional scars of the 2020 riots.

The Muslim community, in particular, harbours a simmering resentment, much of it directed at the AAP and its leader Arvind Kejriwal, whom they accuse of abandoning them in their darkest hour.

Many among the crowd praised Gandhi for his consistent outreach. “This is the third time Rahul Gandhi has come here,” said a Muslim youth. He recalled the Congress leader directing his Bharat Jodo Yatra of 2023 through the area as well. Before that, in 2020, he visited immediately after the riots with other Congress men and had met with the victims of the riots. 

Women and children were also in evidence, having eschewed the Lohri bonfires to huddle together here in support. Some held placards that called to ‘Save the Constitution’.

A Dalit youth caught everyone’s attention at the rally with a unique poster. Waving it like a flag, he scaled a lamppost to raise it aloft. The poster depicted Rahul Gandhi as the ‘Bahubali of Bharat Varsh’.

It is also worth mentioning here that, for the first time, Rahul Gandhi openly targeted Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal — once positioned as a key INDIA bloc ally — accusing him of being no different from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Modi-ji makes false promises and spreads propaganda. Kejriwal-ji follows the same playbook. There is no difference between them,” Gandhi said, his voice rising above the murmurs of the gathering.

This is a stark departure from Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress, the late Sitaram Yechury of the CPI(M), Uddhav Thackeray of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar of the NCP speaking up in support of Kejriwal and amplifying his wife Sunita Kejriwal during the AAP convenor’s incarceration while still CM of Delhi, before Atishi took over.

He accused both leaders of denying justice to Dalit and backward classes, tribal communities and minorities.

In a significant policy pitch, Gandhi reiterated the Congress’ commitment to a caste census and pushing out the reservation cap of 50 per cent.

“We are the only party amplifying the voices of the marginalised. Congress stands for equal participation and for protecting the Constitution,” he said.

Political observers eyeing the Delhi campaigns believe that Rahul Gandhi’s choice of the first rally in an area dominated by the Muslim–Dalit population is a calculated move to reestablish the Congress as a serious contender in the assembly election.

Its influence may have since waned, but this is a definite pitch for a comeback. The intent is clear: to come back and lead an NCT administered for three consecutive terms under the Sheila Dikshit government.

Gandhi’s choice of Shahdara as the venue, coupled with his fiery rhetoric, also suggests that the party views the AAP as its primary rival in Delhi, even with the BJP a primary target to topple pan-India.

The crowd’s reaction evidenced nostalgia for the Sheila Dikshit era, too. “Those were the better days,” said an old man adorned in a faded Congress scarf said. “Politics was about governance [then], not hatred.”

As the rally wound down and the crowd began dispersing, many lingered to discuss what they had heard. “Rahul Gandhi’s words feel genuine,” said one shopkeeper.

Even police officers there to keep the peace and ensure security appeared to be convinced. Some were seen nodding as the general public applauded. “He has been consistent, and that matters in today’s politics,” one was overheard saying later.

Even Congress critics would agree that Gandhi’s promise to challenge the dominance of the BJP and AAP while championing social justice struck a chord with the attendees.

Seelampur, once a Congress stronghold with deep-rooted support for the grand old party, has seen a significant shift in recent elections, with voters increasingly gravitating toward rival parties such as the AAP and the BJP. But this time, many said “We will pick the panja” — the Congress’ five-fingered hand symbol.

With a clear focus on marginalised communities and a no-holds-barred critique of both Modi and Kejriwal, Rahul Gandhi has now set the tone for the Congress campaign in Delhi.

Whether this translates into electoral success remains to be seen, but one thing is clear — the Congress is no longer content to play the bystander’s role in the capital’s politics.