WHAT STOOD OUT IN THE CAMPAIGN
THE HIGHS
Violence-free poll: No violence reported from any polling booth in six phases, making this the most peaceful in decades Ban-free poll: No leader banned from campaigning for hate speech despite certain controversial statements Bollywood missing: Film starts were missing in action though leaders used Bollywood movies and songs to woo voters; PM Modi referred to the 1973 hit Aa Gale Lag Jaa to attack Cong-SP alliance while Rahul Gandhi said PM’s tenure has been a film trip from ‘Achchey Din’ of DDLJ to demonetisation (loot) of people’s money a la Gabbar Singh of Sholay
Dimple campaign: Akhilesh Yadav’s wife Dimple evolved as a leader, addressing independent meetings and holding roadshows
Dacoits underground: Unlike elections in the past, Mandate 2017 saw do diktat from dacoits
THE LOWS
No Muslim candidate: BJP did not field any Muslim candidate; party also asked EC to deploy women at polling booths to check burqa-clad women Stone pelting: The generally peaceful campaign marred by stone-pelting at SP leader Shivpal Yadav in Jaswantnagar; similar incident during Rahul and Akhilesh’s joint roadshow Beastly barbs: Politicians used animal references to attack each other; leader of the beastly pack was gadha (donkey) followed by bhains (buffalo), kabootar (pigeon), magarmachh (crocodile), machhli (fish), sher (lion), etc. Funeral and Festival: PM Modi referred to kabristaan (graveyard) and shamshaan (cremation ground) and drew parallel between Diwali with Ramzan to underline ‘disparity’ in power supply during festivals Heinous crime: Four candidates faced charges of crimes, police complaints against 3 of them