Two lobbies have emerged with one supporting Sheila Dikshit and the other backing Romesh Sabharwal, who failed to get a Congress ticket. Yesterday, four youth leaders claimed they had resigned to protest against Dikshit's candidature. ``We will ensure that she is defeated. We will block roads, throw rotten eggs and tomatoes at her,'' said Soni Lal, who claims to be Block Youth President.

Today, Kailash Sharma, also claiming to be the president of the Gole Market Block Youth Congress, said that he along with other office-bearers of the Congress were grateful to Dikshit for contesting from Gole market. Those claiming to be office-bearers and who reportedly resigned in protest are not genuine.

Several other party workers issued a statement demanding that Sabharwal be removed from the party immediately as he is a `power seeker' and an `opportunist'. But the other so-called youth president Soni Lal flayed Sheila's candidature saying: ``She is an outsider. Do you think we will go to her Nizammuddin residence to get our sewers repaired.'' The four rebels are claiming that at least 1,000 Congress workers in the area will ensure Sabharwal wins. The latter has already filed his papers as an independent candidate.

Whoever wins in the Sabharwal versus Dikshit struggle, the 1.16 lakh voters of the constituency have got wind of the trouble in the Congress camp. ``Even if we do not vote for the BJP, we cannot vote for the Congress which is plagued by infighting,'' said a government officer. With the government servants forming 85 per cent of the total electorate in the constituency, their opinion is what really matters. The price-hike trump card has been neutralised by the infighting.

Dikshit is also weighed down by the fact she is new to the constituency and the electorate will weigh all its options before and if they vote for her. But the BJP's Kirti Azad is a known factor. ``Dikshit is a new name and an outsider. If Azad has not done anything spectacular, at least he was always available,'' said Satpal Mishra, a resident. ``She has to really show herself as a viable alternative. We are not happy with the BJP but it is better to not vote,'' said S. Sharma, an engineer by profession.

For the residents living in the midst of the commercial district, the issues which bother them are heavy traffic, pollution. Liquor and meat shops at every corner is another one of their woes.

They agree that Azad in his five years has not done much except get roads repaired with the help of his MLA quota. But the sportsmen-youth image still works for Azad: ``At least being a sportsperson, he made sure that young people had sports facilities at the local NDMC stadium,'' said Ramesh Lal, a resident.

As the candidates get their act together on the first day of campaigning, the Sabharwal group is planning a function where he will be weighed in laddoos by the jhuggi-jhopri colony residents. Azad's campaign was kicked off by Swaraj herself this evening. Dikshit visited Freeman's Church in her constituency and spent time there. She will be inaugurating her office tomorrow. The deciding factor would be whether the electorate perceives it as a larger Congress versus BJP fight or a personality-based Dikshit versus Azad contest.