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Experience vs stardom for voters
Popular TV actress "Tulsi" gets in to the poll fray on the star appeal factor against "experienced" Congress spokesperson Kapil Sibal.
Irani Smruti Jabin (name of Smriti Irani as per affidavit) and Kapil Sibal filed their nominations here Friday setting the stage for a tough, keenly watched electoral battle.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Irani, otherwise known as Tulsi from Star TV's marathon tearjerker "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi" is fighting Congress party spokesperson and lawyer Kapil Sibal in the capital's Chandni Chowk constituency.
Both held rallies attended by thousands of locals from early morning, as if to keep the momentum going before filing their nominations, and moved around, hands folded, stopping often to talk and hug passers-by, smiling and waving.
"The support that I'm getting in Chandni Chowk is unprecedented in the history of the region," said Sibal, who filed the nomination accompanied by Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and had a priest recite sacred chants before he read the customary oath.
"This lady (Irani) is welcome to what she likes but she won't win," said Sibal, white hair ruffled and in a white kurta pajama.
"What is her claim to fame? That she is a popular actress? That doesn't win elections. She has no base in politics. What does an actress know about running a constituency, about development, about people's problems?"
Irani, in a purple sari retorted: "When people pour out by the thousands to see me, it is because they see in me a woman who can make a difference."
Hair tied back in a loose plait, Irani looks just like the image she wants to portray -- a modern Indian woman with extremely traditional values, an image that has made her one of the most loved faces on Indian television.
"When women come rushing to see me, they know that as a woman I know exactly what are their problems. And you know, women are the best managers. They are the ones who actually run the home and the world."
Irani has declared that she has Rs.50,000 cash, while her husband has Rs.15,000.
Among others, she also has jewellery of about Rs. 90,000, a Honda City and a Santro cars and bank deposits of more than Rs. 450,000 (her husband has about Rs. 300,000).
They have agricultural land and a shop in Dahanu, Maharashtra and a flat in Andheri, Mumbai.
Sibal has declared assets of Rs. 2 million cash, more than Rs. 66 million bank deposits, bonds of more than Rs. 2.6 million, five cars, other assets of Rs. 32.1 million and several agricultural and non-agricultural properties, including plots in Madhya Pradesh, Bangalore, Delhi and Punjab.
