New Delhi: When BJP candidate Neetu Choudhary entered Sarita Vihar’s Pocket Ok on 13 November to marketing campaign for the Delhi municipal polls, she was welcomed with garlands and the beat of drums. However because the Ward 187 contender did rounds of the condo block, her entourage was too massive to suit into the slender staircases of the DDA flats.
Every week later, her principal challenger Muskan Bidhuri of the Aam Aadmi Get together did the identical rounds. She had only one companion along with her, and the duo apologetically rang doorbells to hunt votes.
The contrasting kinds of the 2 candidates in southeast Delhi are emblematic of the kinds of their events — BJP’s rolling out the massive weapons, whereas AAP goes hyperlocal with its private outreach, nukkad nataks (road performs) and padayatras.
AAP’s talisman Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is campaigning in Gujarat for the meeting elections whereas within the nationwide capital, his ministers are looking for votes for councillors in his identify. The get together’s battle cry for the Municipal Company of Delhi (MCD) polls is “Kejriwal Ki Sarkaar, Kejriwal Ka Paarshad” (Kejriwal’s authorities, Kejriwal’s councillor).
In the meantime, amongst BJP chief ministers who’ve campaigned in Delhi are Himanta Biswa Sarma (Assam), Jairam Thakur (Himachal), Manohar Lal Khattar (Haryana), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya Pradesh) and Pushkar Singh Dhami (Uttarakhand). Throughout this final week of campaigning, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is predicted to carry two conferences in Delhi.
“The explanation why BJP has to make use of chief ministers, Union ministers and even PM Narendra Modi’s picture for MCD is that they can not combat the election on the premise of labor accomplished since no work has been accomplished by them within the final 15 years,” Delhi Surroundings Minister Gopal Rai advised ThePrint.
Campaigning in Harkesh Nagar, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia advised a gathering final week to not ask about his get together’s candidate within the ward however focus as a substitute on the work accomplished by the Delhi authorities underneath Kejriwal’s management.
Gopal Rai, too, advised a gathering in Subhash Mohalla Monday to not fret about who the candidate is. The 2 ministers’ ballot pitches in Kejriwal’s identify echo BJP’s marketing campaign pitch throughout the nation that ‘a vote for the lotus is a vote straight for Narendra Modi’.
Additionally learn: Mass contact, star campaigners — BJP ups the ante as inner analysis reveals MCD vote shortfall)
Unconventional strategies
Up towards the would possibly of BJP, AAP candidates are banking on private join with voters. Conferences like Sisodia’s and Rai’s are punctuated by “decentralised” campaigns by particular person candidates. Padayatras (foot marches), jan sabhas (public conferences) and door-to-door drives are AAP’s three main modes.
Road performs, magic and guitar reveals have been a part of AAP’s general ballot technique together with flash mobs which were organised in numerous elements of town by Dance For Democracy, their workforce specialised in holding such occasions. These efforts have been intensified within the second part, which began on 23 November.
“All of the individuals campaigning for us are a part of our household and the bigger neighborhood. We are attempting to achieve out to the individuals on a private degree so that there’s belief. My husband Ashwani who has labored intently with MLA Satyendar Jain from Shakur Basti for the final 10 years has developed lots of connections across the ward,” mentioned Urmila Garg, the AAP candidate from Saraswati Vihar.
Usually the candidates showcase the state authorities moderately than themselves. AAP candidate from Rohini-C ward Anil Mittal mentioned: “Folks have seen the form of work accomplished underneath Kejriwal’s sarkar (authorities) and the laxity with which their (BJP’s) councillor has handled the ward. They’ll vote for us primarily based on our document within the Delhi authorities. The general public is the actual candidate, they are going to endorse our get together within the polls.”
All within the household
Door-to-door campaigning for the AAP is being accomplished by candidates and their households, associates and kin or the “unpaid volunteers”.
Urmila’s youngsters have taken cost of media and publicity, whereas her ladies kin of all ages exit in groups of 8-10 individuals to completely different colonies within the ward to attraction to the voters. Related is the scenario at AAP candidate Amrit Lal Jain’s home in Budh Vihar, the place a bunch of ladies kin and neighbours had been despatched out for rallies to achieve out to voters. His floor ground had changed into one thing like a wedding corridor.
E-rickshaws studded with AAP flags and the face of the get together’s candidates transfer round all of the wards blasting their theme track “MCD mein bhi Kejriwal” (Kejriwal in MCD as nicely). In Budh Vihar, the rickshaws performed Bollywood songs with jhadoo (broom) as hero. In Saraswati Vihar, “Kaam Karenge, Kaam Karenge, Jan-Jan ka Samman Karenge“, one other homegrown melody, took middle stage.
Based on Urmila’s youngsters Mudit and Karan, previous ways like distribution of liquor can’t achieve success anymore. “Public work relies on the outcomes of labor accomplished by the candidate,” Mudit mentioned when requested about being pitted towards a celebration just like the BJP which has no dearth of assets or leaders.
To drive residence the message, they use nukkad nataks, magic reveals within the weekly vegetable markets, native grocery shops, parks and every other place of social gatherings.
Amrit Jain, regardless of his previous age, resorted to a different unconventional technique. He rode a motorbike via the ward, folding his palms and looking for blessings for the election as he met individuals on the highway.
“Even earlier than my nomination, I’ve been engaged in social work, the place I organised free eye camps and Aadhaar-making camps. Stickers, beatings of drums and our volunteers wielding brooms would possibly give us outward visibility, however it’s the promise to work sooner or later for the individuals that may get us elected,” he mentioned.
‘Double engine’ pitch
AAP candidate Rekha Tyagi who can also be the Subhash Mohalla councillor, claimed that she was given no funds for roads and drainage.
“Modi’s double engine authorities won’t have labored, however AAP’s will,” mentioned AAP’s senior chief Shahnaz Hindustani at a ‘Jansamvad’ supporting Tyagi. MLA Atishi had taken the identical line just a few days in the past when she advised mediapersons that in states like Madhya Pradesh, the BJP’s “double-engine authorities is a failure”.
“Motion can solely be taken when there’s political will…Centre has tried to take energy from us and despite that Arvind Kejriwal has delivered,” she mentioned.
(Edited by V S Chandrasekar)
Additionally learn: Flash mobs, rock live shows & the headliner, Modi — PM’s insurance policies focus of BJP’s MCD marketing campaign