E-Paper
It?s a lonely world for Tewari
CONGRESS MAYORAL candidate Badri Narayan Tewari seems to be fighting a lonely battle. Despite having a strong presence in the city with two MLAs, a Union minister, 40 corporators and a former Mayor, the Congress party looks indifferent to its candidate?s poll campaign. Tewari was short of party leaders during his campaign.
CONGRESS MAYORAL candidate Badri Narayan Tewari seems to be fighting a lonely battle. Despite having a strong presence in the city with two MLAs, a Union minister, 40 corporators and a former Mayor, the Congress party looks indifferent to its candidate’s poll campaign. Tewari was short of party leaders during his campaign.
A few glimpses -
Scene One: Tewari’s election campaign is scheduled to start at 7 am from the Siddhi Vinayak Temple, Ghantaghar. But save a self -proclaimed relative of Congress candidate Gappu Vajpayee, no party leader is present at the venue.
Tewari himself is late and arrives in a “cavalcade of three cars” at 8.30 am.
Party’s corporator candidate Chandrakar Dixit is waiting for him to campaign in his ward. To his dismay, Tewari returns after offering prayer at the temple.
Tewari also cancels the pre-scheduled campaigning at Rambagh.
Scene Two: Around 9 am Tewari holds discussions with his supporters at his residence situated at Shivala. Once again district Congress leaders are conspicuous by their absence.
Scene Three: Two hours later. Some employee union leaders are waiting for Tewari at the Kanpur Municipal Corporation (KMC). Few media persons are also present.
A four-wheeler decked up with Congress flags arrives at the venue. The people inside turn out to be old Congressmen who will accompany Tewari in his campaign. Five minutes before noon, Tewari arrives. KMC employee union leader Prakash Hazaria welcomes him. The slogan shouting session begins- “ Aap Se Milne Aayein Hain Badri Bhai Aayein Hain…
Scene Four: Tewari, accompanied by Hazaria, is meeting KMC employees in the building. Hazaria gets excited and shouts, “Everyone come out, Congress mayoral candidate Badri Narayan Tewari has come to meet you.” Employees- some willingly and others not so willingly, come out of their rooms. Surprise! Its Hazaria, instead of Tewari, who performs the quintessential task of soliciting votes.
Scene Five: Finished with the KMC employees, Tewari and his supporters turn their attention to the Kanpur Development Authority (KDA) office in the adjoining building. Hazaria’s enthusiasm continues, but soon KDA employee leader Maan Pandey takes over the charge.
The group reaches office of another KDA union leader Bachau Singh, who unwillingly greets Tewari.
Scene Six: 2 pm at District Court. Tewari finally gets a warm welcome. Bar president Manharan Awasthi and Lawyers Association president Karunendra Vajpayee, along with Anand Sachan, Kapildeep and Vinod Mishra, introduce Tewari to lawyers in their respective chambers. Usha Ratnakar Shukla, former corporator Surendra Bahadur Singh and Santosh Tripathi were the only Congress leaders seen during the campaign.
In the end, each one has to fight his own battle!
