Andhra Pradesh election campaign diary -- III

[koustubbhargav]

By Abhimaan Kashyap

The Congress seems to have supporters in the TDP too. On Friday night, when the chief minister’s open-top Congress jeep trudged along a galli in Khairtabad, TDP supporters cheered him much to the surprise of Congress activists. As the vehicle passed by the local TDP office, about 70 TDP supporters, mostly young men, gathered outside their office. Wearing caps and holding TDP flags, they whistled and waved at the CM. The CM waved back and responded with a smile. What’s more, a huge poster of Junior NTR welcomed the chief minister.

Congress tattoos

Forget posters, cutouts and flags. The latest fad in this political jamboree is flaunting tattoos of the party symbol on faces and hands. At LB Nagar, youth were seen sauntering in with tattoos of the Congress party symbol on their faces. One of them, Mallesh said the tattoos cost just about Rs 3 to Rs 5. A party activist Lala Naik said tattoos were much cheaper than flags and banners, and attractive too. Moreover, it beats the Election Commission’s guideline on campaign expenses. Also seen were kids with caps with the party’s logo and flag.

Anjan Kumar Ghalib

Anjan Kumar Yadav, the Congress candidate for Secunderabad, turned poet as the chief minister’s campaign vehicle wound its way into Khairatabad. When in Rome, act as a Roman. In Khairtabad, speak their language and win hearts. Yadav did exactly this. As Danam Nagender, the Congress candidate for Khairtabad, handed him the mike, Yadav broke into Urdu verse. His chaste accent and precise pronunciation won the admiration of the audience of young Muslims. As Yadav waxed lyrical, the crowd whistled. A lad screamed ‘wah, wah, Ghalib, dubara irshad."