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ECI’s Covid-19 restrictions: Leaders resort to unique antics to woo voters
From making jalebis and kachodis, besides tea, as well as frying pakodas, politicians are trying everything these days to woo voters amidst ECI restrictions
Politicians gearing up to contest the state assembly polls are resorting to unique antics to draw voters to them, due to the restrictions on road shows, rallies and public meetings imposed by the Election Commission of India (ECI), in light of the Covid-19 threat.
From making jalebis and kachodis besides tea as well as frying pakodas at roadside kiosks to playing co-driver to an auto-rickshaw, politicians, including two UP Cabinet ministers, Sidharth Nath Singh and Nand Gopal Gupta ‘Nandi’, are trying everything these days to woo voters amidst ECI restrictions.
Interestingly, although most bigger political parties including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP) have not yet announced the names of its candidates from the 12 assembly seats of Prayagraj, few sitting MLAs and aspirants are both seen resorting to these antics.
Leading the politicians in these unique antics is spokesperson of the Yogi Adityanath-led state government, Sidharth Nath Singh. Grandson of former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, Singh had started out weeks before even announcement of state poll by the ECI as he was spotted near a kiosk at Prayagraj airport, making samosas and frying pakodas. He continued with the practice often during his campaign on his seat of Allahabad West. Apart from making pakodas, he was also seen purchasing fruits and veggies for his household at local vegetable markets—all aimed at hard-selling the man next door image.
Joining his colleague is another minister in the Yogi cabinet, Nand Gopal Gupta ‘Nandi’. The minister for civil aviation, Nandi visited the famous Chandra Shekhar Azad Park a few days back and played the role of co-driver of an auto-rickshaw. His pictures went viral among his supporters. On Wednesday too, he was spotted making tea at a roadside stall while campaigning door-to-door in his assembly constituency of Allahabad South.
Nandi, however, dubs these acts as “just being me” and not “antics”. He said, “It is the people of Prayagraj who have given me so much love and blessings that today I am a minister in the state cabinet. Otherwise, making tea, samosas and other eatables at a roadside shop was the means through which I used to earn a living for my family. It is because of all this that I understand the problems of all shopkeepers and traders, be it big or small.”
Likewise, a ticket aspirant of Samajwadi Party (SP) from Phaphamau assembly seat, Adil Hamza, who has extensively helped locals of this assembly seat during first and second wave or pandemic and during recent floods, feels that these are no antics but rather an effective way to connect with voters.
During his campaign, Hamza likes to travel by cycle along with his supporters. “Although, my party has not yet declared the name of the candidate from Phaphamau, I know that since the cycle is the symbol of my party, it will leave a permanent impression among voters to know which party I represent.”
