Asserting that there was no ‘Modiwave’ in this constituency, AAP candidate Shazia Ilmi on Tuesday said V K Singh was being used as “sacrificial lamb” by BJP who has left the former army chief high and dry.

“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 said.

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. BJP President Rajnath Singh, who won the Ghaziabad seat in 2009 defeating Congress candidate Surendra Prakash Goyal, is contesting from Lucknow this time.

“When a senior leader can’t do anything, why they send this new guy? I have not seen any Modi wave. 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”. “In terms of development, it is horrible. Right from sewerage line, sanitation to roads, all are in unbelievable condition. Safety is a big issue. Electricity is a serious problem. Small and Big industries are totally shut down because of extortion,” Ilmi said.

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.

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