On Saturday, four Congress youth leaders claimed they had resigned to protest against Dixit's candidature. ``We will ensure that Dixit is defeated at any cost. We will block roads, throw rotten eggs and tomatoes at her,'' said Soni Lal, who claims to be Block Youth President.

On Sunday, 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 Dixit 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 astatement calling Sabharwal the `black sheep of the party' and that he should 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 Dixit 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.

In such a scenario, the price-hike trump card of the Congress has beenneutralised by the infighting.

Dixit 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. ``Dixit 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.

The deciding factor in Gole market would be whether the electorate perceives it as a larger Congress versus BJP fight.