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UP poll battle goes musical, campaign songs create a buzz online
The Election Commission is yet to allow any physical campaigns for the polls. More such songs praising or targeting political parties may be heard in the coming weeks.
The UP poll battle is turning musical with a Bhojpuri flavour and catching the attention of people on the social media ahead of the seven-phase state assembly elections that will begin on February 10.
These songs are creating a buzz online when the Election Commission (EC) is yet to allow any physical campaigns for the polls. More such songs praising or targeting political parties may be heard in the coming weeks.
Bhojpuri singer Neha Singh Rathore has come out with the number “UP Mein Ka Ba? (What is there in UP?)” in an apparent response to BJP MP Ravi Kishan’s song “UP Mein Sab Ba” (UP has everything) that chief minister Yogi Adityanath released in Gorakhpur on January 15.
Ravi Kishan, in this campaign song, has listed the achievements of the Yogi Adityanath government with the lyrics: “Yogi ki sarkar ba, vikas ki bahar ba.. sadkan ke jaal ba, kaam bemisal ba, je kabau na rehal u ab baa. UP mein sab ba (A spring of development is flowing during the tenure of the Yogi government. A network of roads has been laid. Unmatched work has been done. UP has all that was never there before).”
“Yes, chief minister Yogi Adityanath released the song on ‘khichri’ on January 15. It’s got a very good response. It’s getting viral,” said Ravi Kishan.
Ravi Kishan’s song got an immediate response with Bhojpuri folk singer Neha Singh Rathore, who is said to have brought out campaign songs during the Bihar assembly elections as well.
Her song appears to question chief minister Yogi Adityanath for his achievements, handling of Hathras incident and Covid-19. The song also raised the issue of mowing down of farmers by a vehicle in Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3, 2021. Ashish Mishra, the son of union minister of state for home Ajay Mishra Teni, is the main accused in the case.
Without naming the chief minister or anyone else, Neha Rathore is heard singing, “Baba ke darbar ba, khatm rozgar ba. Hathras ke nirnaya jo hat, ladki ke parivar ba, arrey ka ba, UP mein ka ba, corona se lakhan mar gai le, lashan se Ganga bhar gai le (No jobs have been left in Baba’s darbar. What decision was taken with regard to Hathras incident? Lakhs died of Covid-19 and their bodies floated in the Ganga. What is there in UP?)”
“Mantri ke bitwa badi rangatdar ba, mantri ke bitwa badi rangatdar ba, kisanan ke chhati pe raundat motor car ba. E chowkidar bolo ke jimmedar bar ba, ka ba, UP mein ka ba,” (The minister’s son had lot of influence and he mowed farmers down under his car. Chowkidar! Who is responsible. What is there in UP?).
“Ram raj ke jhanki ba, Kashi Mathura baaki ba (Kashi and Mathura are yet to be achieved in their trailer of Ram Rajya),” she also sang.
“Mandir masjid, mandir masjid main thanal gai rar ba, arey ka ba, UP mein ka ba. (There has been a dispute of temple and mosque. What is there in UP?),”the song went.
Neha Rathore shared the song on her Twitter handle and YouTube channel on Sunday, a day after Ravi Kishan released his song.
The Samajwadi Party, too, has come out with campaign songs to reach out to the people of Uttar Pradesh.
“Jhan jhanan man baaje man mai, aasha ka o ek tara” (There is a twinkle of hope. UP is calling Samajwadi Party)” are the opening lines of one of the SP’s campaign songs. Another SP campaign song speaks about how the party has never indulged in politics of hatred or caste and instead has worked for the development of Uttar Pradesh.
“Besides going door to door, we are coming out with campaign songs focusing on the Samajwadi Party’s work. The people of UP are liking our campaign that includes the Vijay Yatras and other such yatras led by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav,” said Samajwadi Party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary.
The Congress, too, has come out with a campaign song to support its slogan “Ladki Hoon, Lad Sakti Hoon (I am a girl, I can fight).”
“The Congress campaign song is being considered an instant hit,” said Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) vice-president Pankaj Srivastava.
The campaign song that begins with “stuti” (hymn) of Goddess Durga speaks about how the women who have been running their home and working in fields are also at ease fighting on the borders.
“This idea for the campaign song came from Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and we worked on the song,” said Tejendra, who goes by one name.
“It is campaign time and every party is trying to influence voters. This is an interesting way to reach out to the people. This is just the beginning and film actors may also hold meetings to campaign in favour of political parties if the EC so permits. This kind of campaign catches the attention of voters and, to some extent, may also influence them. By and large such songs may make the campaigns of political parties interesting but may not influence voters to a large extent,” said Professor SK Dwivedi, former head of the department of political science, Lucknow University.
