The Hindu : National : May I fry your dosa?

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Monday, Apr 13, 2009
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National

May I fry your dosa?

With the campaign for the first phase of polling coming to a close in Hyderabad, candidates are resorting to all sorts of devices to woo the voters. Some of the things done to impress the constituents have ended up pleasing news photographers: while going round the city’s residential areas, candidates have been caught by lensmen ironing clothes, frying ‘mirchi bajjis,’ making dosas, breaking open tender coconuts. Some have even been seen helping construc tion labourers with their work. The question is, will such token gestures help? Most voters don’t think so and would rather that the candidates had been in regular touch with them.

Khan versus Khan

In the Hyderabad Parliamentary Constituency, a stronghold of the All India Majlis-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), there are two candidates named Zahid Ali Khan. One is the erudite and popular editor of the city’s leading Urdu daily Siasat, the candidate of the grand opposition alliance of the TDP, the TRS, the CPI and the CPI(M) giving the AIMIM candidate, Asaduddin Owaisi, a run for his money. The other Zahid Ali Khan is an Independent, who is being used by the AIMIM to create confusion among the voters. As a precautionary measure, the Siasat has asked its readers and voters not to fall prey to confusion and possible rumour mongering when it comes to voting.

Tinda box

At a recent interaction with members of the Indian Women’s Press Corps, the only question that put Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the back foot was about the rise in prices of essential commodities. When the Prime Minister claimed that the prices of pulses had come down, there was a chorus of protest from the 120-odd women journalists. Someone even mentioned the high prices of popular vegetables such as ‘tinda’ and ‘tori.’ “I cannot ar gue with you ladies on that,” a smiling PM conceded, but added that along with the rise in inflation there had been a per capita rise in real incomes.

Fast facts and comic relief

A curious text message has been doing the rounds in political circles in Nagpur, providing some comic relief and fast facts on BJP candidate Banwarilal Purohit. It says: Mr. Dalbadlu’s (turncoat’s) political career: 1977 — Janata Party, 1978 — Forward Bloc, 1980 — Congress, 1991 — BJP, 1998 — Congress, 2000 — Vidarbha Rajya Party, 2009 — BJP, 2010 — Ram Jane? (God knows). No one knows who started the SMS, which ch arts Mr. Purohit’s colourful political graph down to the last surprising detail.

Campaign by laptop

IT-savvy members of Telugu Sankethika Nipunula Vibhagam (Telugu software professionals wing) of the Telugu Desam Party have launched a novel ‘hi-tech’ laptop campaign. Nearly 40 TSNV members are going round the Proddatur Assembly constituency and enlightening the electorate in favour of the TDP’s Kadapa Lok Sabha candidate Palem Srikanth Reddy. The volunteers gather a group of people, switch on their laptops and play video recordings of speeches of Mr. Re ddy. The voters can not only see the TDP candidate but also hear him talk about his plans and the party’s promises.

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