Asides from BJP jamboree

The city of the confluence of Ganga and Yamuna turned into a fortress with PM Narendra Modi in town. Since most policemen deployed have been deployed from other towns, they were of no help to commuters. Given the clampdown, the residents preferred to stay indoors, turning political hub of UP into a ghost town.

The media committee of the party delivered unusual snack boxes to media persons covering the national executive. The boxes in shape looked pretty similar to shoe-box of yore and least a snack box. Though full to the brim with goodies, the box had an unusual content – a sharp knife, ostensibly to cut fruits. Some thought it could also be carrying a message for scribes.

Though the BJP has gone out of its way to paint the city saffron with hoardings and buntings, the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) too has come up with huge signboards, congratulating party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for getting local strongman Reoti Raman Singh elected to the Rajya Sabha. Even newspapers were full of ads released by the Akhilesh Yadav government, indicating that 2017 Assembly polls would be close contest.

The show in Allahabad was largely organised by local MP Shyamacharan Gupta. The party brass, including BJP president Amit Shah, stayed at the Kanha Shyam hotel. This plush property is owned by Gupta, a big manufacturer of bidis. Incidentally, Gupta has recently switched loyalties  to the BJP from SP, having even represented the latter in the Lok Sabha from Banda.

Young Turk Varun Gandhi left no stone unturned to impress the leadership about his suitability as the chief ministerial candidate. He reached a prominent city hotel with a cavalcade of cheering supporters. He reached the lift as his supporters chanted slogans. The Lift opened and Gandhi was face-to-face with Arun Jaitley. One wonders if message went home. His supporters vociferously out numbered others at the PM’s rally.

Some important BJP leaders chose the occasion for pilgrimage. The most prominent being Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. The former royalty first went to Varanasi for a darshan at the famous Vishwanath Temple. Thereafter, she went to Mirzapur for a darshan at the Vindhyawasini temple and finally arrived in Allahabad.

In midst of all the talk by BJP leadership of the Congress getting emaciated, two prominent leaders chose to visit Anand Bhawan, the ancestral home of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty. The duo consisted of former Jharkhand CM Arjun Munda and former Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Modi. Incidentally, both are out of favour these days.