CM who would be kingmaker races against time

Eyes on wristwatch, fingers on the voters' pulse: UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav is a man in a hurry. The man who would be kingmaker, if not king, is racing against time.

Eyes on wristwatch, fingers on the voters' pulse: UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav is a man in a hurry. The man who would be kingmaker, if not king, post-elections, is racing against time.

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Daura Daura bhaga bhaga sa, from the hit Chachi 420 aptly describes him as he hops from one constituency to another. Before his four-seat chopper hits the ground the diminutive yet doughty Samajwadi Party chief is ready to step off. He wades through the crowd to the podium, and runs downs the stairs to be back on the copter before the sloganeering crowd settles down.

In between, 15 minutes for a crisp speech and 10 minutes to settle party disputes. Written complaints are dealt with immediately: ''He's very important, remind me in Lucknow''. Sometimes he scribbles an order on an application.

A few sips of electrolyte solution staves off dehydration. His face has tanned, and a boil on his nose bothers him. ''I don't know why they opted for April/May elections,'' he cribs. ''February would have been more suitable.'' He waves off a homemade lunch till after the day's rallies.

Mulayam's set a target of 400 rallies till the final phase of polling in UP, MP, Uttaranchal, Rajasthan and Haryana. On this occasion, for instance, after five rallies in eastern UP he'll fly to Pune via Delhi. And there are the files to attend to.

By his side are Amar Singh and Shivpal Singh Yadav. They could have roped in a few film stars, but ''we aren't that selfish''. And no road shows or rath yatras for him: ''Where's the time?'' he demands.

And then it's on to the next rally.