Will Modi-Rahul duel take off at Feb 6 Delhi college meet?

New Delhi, Feb 3:

is inching towards Delhi and the

is already feeling the pinch! According to a

published in the

, a leading Bengali daily, the high-profile

leader will address a gathering at a college affiliated to the Delhi University on February 6 where he will speak on administrative ways and how the Gujarat development model can be implemented throughout the country.

The young brigade of the Congress led by Rahul Gandhi is apprehensive over Modi's visit for it has been working to connect with the youth ever since the party-led coalition came to power in 2004. Youth leaders of the party feel that Modi could play a spoilsport by attacking the Congress over various issues, including the recent youth protest in the national capital, to incite the anti-incumbency mood.

Gandhi, who was elevated to the rank of the vice president in the party recently and is said to be aiming the young voters, will be concerned about the entry of the Gujarat leader, regarded much popular among the youth.

According to sources, Jitendra Singh, the Congress leader known to be very close to Gandhi, had a meeting with the other members of the vice-president's youth brigade over the issue.

Modi is popular among the young people owing to his pro-development administration, tech-savvy approach and the ability to take quick decisions. The BJP feels Modi's upcoming visit will be a step towards winning over the youth in New Delhi, particularly after protests against corruption and a brutal rape incident in the recent times. Alumni of the college like Arun Jaitley and Vijay Goel, currently senior BJP leaders, are among the organisers of the Delhi gathering, the report said.

Sources in the Congress said there was no question of sparing Modi any political space. The Youth Congress will also carry on its campaign in educational institutes where issues like communalism will be raised. No mention about Modi will be made, though.

As against this, the party will speak on various steps the government has taken to address various issues ranging from foreign direct investment, Lokpal bill to curb corruption to handing over stipends to students as a means to reduce social inequality. The BJP's opposition to the Congress on various issues will also be projected.

Modi's event at the Delhi college on February 6 is not just another programme. It might be the curtain-raiser for the Modi-Gandhi duel, the biggest attraction of the next big political event.

OneIndia News