What was promised as the launch of a massive campaign against corruption and the ruling government, provided a joy ride to Delhi for a group of farmers from Bulandshahr in western UP, on their first visit to the national capital.
The busy road leading to the Ramlila Maidan in the heart of the capital had posters of senior leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on both sides but the enthusiasm among party workers and the audience was missing wduring the speeches.
“I have always voted for the Congress Party but when I came to know that a bus was going to Delhi from Bulandshahr for a BJP rally, I decided to come. I wanted to listen to what the leaders had to say about the government,” said Durjan Singh, a 67-year-old farmer.
Even before the senior leaders of BJP and Janata Dal (United) started their public addresses, the stage managers had a difficult time engaging the audience. Realising the crowd was unresponsive and not appreciating the sloganeering, a BJP member got on the dais to recite a parody he had made on the hit Bollywood number, Munni Badnam Hui.
Blaming UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for the corruption that had hit her party, the BJP member sang, “Sansad Badnam Hui, UPA tere liye.” The crowd immediately got interested, with a few people raising both their hands to repeat the lines. Sensing an opportunity to keep the gathering engaged for r some more time, another BJP member suggested some changes in the song. The new song, announced from the stage, was “Sarkar Badnaam Hui, Sonia tere liye.”
The audience had to be keep being reminded to applaud lond enough to reach Gandhi’s residence. More than two hours after the rally had begun, when the BJP’s seniormost leader, L K Advani, began his address, almost half the chairs were empty and the remaining crowd was only looking for an opportunity to leave and board the bus parked outside the ground.
“I am not very interested in politics but I came because I wanted to see Delhi,” said Lakshmi Devi from Bulandshahar.