Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday implored the voters of Delhi to give him an opportunity for “sewa” (service) and brought fresh focus on “Modi ki guarantee”.

He sought to assure the electorate that the BJP would not only deliver on the sops promised in the party manifesto but also retain those being provided by the incumbent AAP government.

The BJP, which has no credible face to take on Arvind Kejriwal, is relying on Modi’s popularity to wrest the capital state in the February 5 polls.

After two aggressive pre-poll rallies where Modi had lashed out at the AAP and termed it “Aapda” (disaster), the Prime Minister betrayed a sense of desperation as he made an impassioned appeal to the voters.

“Main Dilliwasiyon se agrah purwak kehna chahta hoon, Modi ko Dilli ki sewa karne ka kuch mauka dijiye. Deshbhar mein main bahut kuch kar paya hoon, Dilli mein aapne mujhe sewa karne ka avsar nahi diya,” Modi said at the rally in Kartar Nagar.

A translation: “I want to urge Delhites to give Modi an opportunity to serve Delhi. I have been able to do a lot of things for the country but you haven’t given me an opportunity to serve Delhi.”

Modi said the people of Delhi had dealt with the Congress and the AAP for the last 25 years and urged them to give “one opportunity” to the “lotus”, stressing that he would look after the people of Delhi like the “head of a family”.

“Aapne 25 saal Congress bhi dekhi, Aapda bhi dekhi, ab ekbaar kamal ko bhi dekh lijiye. Mujhe sewa karne ka avsar dijiye. Aur mai Dilliwasiyon ko kehta hoon, jaisa ek parivar ka mukhiya apne parivar ka khayal rakhta hai, main Dilliwasiyon ek parivar ke naate aapka khayal rakhunga,” he said.

A translation: “For 25 years, you have seen the Congress and the AAP, now try out the lotus once. Give me an opportunity for service. I assure you that just as the head of a family cares for his family, I will look after you.”

Modi’s rally comes amid the BJP’s internal surveys that suggest that the AAP’s support base continues to be strong on the back of free electricity, water, and bus rides for women despite accumulated anti-incumbency of 10 years.

The BJP does not have a Delhi leader who has the heft to take on Kejriwal, whose popularity has not dented despite the excise scam and a jail stint.

Against this backdrop, Modi appeared to be banking on his popularity to woo the voters. “After February 8, when the BJP government will be formed, all the promises made to you will be fulfilled… This is Modi’s guarantee. Modi’s guarantee means the guarantee of fulfilment of the guarantee,” he said.

Modi cited the example of the UPA’s job guarantee scheme to underline the fact that the AAP’s welfare schemes would not be discontinued if the BJP came to power in Delhi.

“It’s been 11 years now and the MGNREGA is still continuing. There is a tradition in our country that however bad an incumbent government, the good schemes pursued by it are never stopped by the successor,” he said, accusing the AAP of spreading a rumour.

“All good schemes will not only be continued but strengthened,” he said, adding that corruption in the schemes would be removed.

Modi seized on Kejriwal’s allegations that BJP-ruled Haryana was poisoning the Yamuna and said that the “Aapda people” had turned desperate fearing defeat in the polls.

“Can BJP’s Haryana government poison the water the Prime Minister drinks?... The AAP has sinned for political gains. History will never forgive them,” he said.