'The Congress campaign is not alive. It reflects
the lethargy of the higher-ups'
Back on the road after taking leave of the helpful Congressman, I bump into Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Brijmohan Aggarwal's impressive convoy. There is a Maruti van, the Sumo he's riding in, which has the legend 'Jai Sri Ram, Jai Chhattisgarh' painted just above a picture of Aggarwal's smirking countenance popping up from behind a blooming lotus, and two other vehicles.
The BJP contestant is fair, tall, well built, and known as the MLA "who goes everywhere". "Be it a death or marriage or any function," my friend, the disgruntled Congressman, had confided. "That's his strength. He's a good candidate. He will win."
We catch up with Aggarwal. But before I can approach him, he disappears into a building nearby. I reach the gate, but am stopped by a stern, smartly dressed, different-looking gentleman.
"Yes?"
I reveal my identity and use the magic phrase: "I am from Bombay."
The face, which lost its stern look the moment its owner found I was a journalist, broadens into a grin.
I tell him of my fervent desire to meet the candidate. "Of course, of course, I will let you talk to him," he says. "Myself Purushottam (again!) Khandelwal. I am a rice exporter, actually, but I am a devoted BJP worker also."
All this in English, without pausing for breath. I try to tell him that's nice, but Khandelwal happily cuts me short.
"Mr Atal [Bihari Vajpayee] is coming today. And Mohan bhaiya (a respectful term in Hindi for elder brother) is busy with that. But don't worry, I will arrange this meeting. Please wait, please wait..."
Then, he remembers. "Please don't mind my English. I am a Hindi-man," he says apologetically. I tell him I don't mind it one bit. (In any case his Hindi is more murderous than his English.)
"Oh-oh! You don't speak Hindi? I am sorry to hear that. So very sorry..." he says, looking really despondent. Then he thinks of his business and cheers up again. "You are from Kerala, na? You ask any rice merchant there about me. Everyone knows me. I am not boasting, but my efforts are very praiseworthy...(!)"
Khandelwal is still going strong when Aggarwal reappears. His agenda for the day is 'jan sampark' (meeting people) and he's expected at another place in 10 minutes. So would I mind accompanying him in his vehicle?
I don't mind, of course.
The BJP, Aggarwal is confident, will sweep not only Chhattisgarh but also Madhya Pradesh. "The Congress ministers themselves are seeing to that," he says. "Digvijay Singh's government is the worst possible one that has ever come into being in the state..."
Winding up our conversation, Aggarwal touches upon my favourite subject -- the ditch-water campaign. The fault, he tells me, lies entirely with Sonia Gandhi.
"The Congress campaign is not alive. It reflects the lethargy of the higher-ups. That's why you find the campaigning here so low-key."
"You are talking about the Congress," I protest. "What about your own party?"
"Arre baba," Aggarwal retorts as he hops out of the vehicle and is swallowed by a scraggly bunch of supporters, mainly teenagers and children, "if the opposition campaign is not hot, it will not motivate us. We also slow down. Let them put up a good campaign. Then you'll see us perform!"
'Atal ko dekh liya, Sonia ko lana hai...'
Assembly Election '98
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