Skipping lunch and workouts, Rita ‘didi’ races against time
LUCKNOW: Crisp cotton saree, full-sleeved, collared blouse and hair tied neatly in a bun – Rita Bahuguna Joshi’s persona aptly represents her trajectory as a seasoned politician with some glimpses of her past teaching profession.
Despite a busy campaigning schedule, with each day beginning at sunrise and ending well past midnight, Joshi — senior Congress leader and its Lok Sabha candidate from Lucknow — maintains an easy smile as she meets people.
Five public meetings, half-a-dozen house meets and two padyatras daily is her minimum schedule these days. And add to it some more party meetings and press interactions and you know her day is jam-packed.
“There is hardly any time for lunch and I don’t even carry any eatables along when I am out for my campaigns. Sumptuous breakfast comprising cereals, fruits and juices and a late dinner is all to keep me going these days,” she says. I also take some vitamin and cal- cium supplements, she adds.
The election pressure has denied Joshi of one of her regimens — Walking four kilometres a day. However, she still wakes up early, leaves the house at 6 and catches up with morning walkers in different parks across the city.
“After this, I return home, take breakfast and go out. I don’t come home before 1am the next day. There are always peo- ple in my house. Even when I am back late in the night, I have people waiting to meet me. Bed time is only around 2am,” she says.
Unlike star campaigners of the party, there isn’t a huge team of followers at the disposal of Rita ‘didi’ – a term fondly used by partymen to address her – as she moves in her SUV addressing crowds of varied dimensions.
THERE IS HARDLY ANY TIME FOR LUNCH AND I DON’T EVEN CARRY ANY EATABLES ALONG WHEN I AM OUT FOR MY CAMPAIGNS. SUMPTUOUS BREAKFAST COMPRISING CEREALS, FRUITS AND JUICES AND A LATE DINNER IS ALL TO KEEP ME GOING THESE DAYS RITA BAHUGUNA JOSHI, Cong candidate from Lucknow
At some places, the audience is in hundreds, while at others, there are only a handful of people to listen to her. Nevertheless, Joshi has her speeches ready to address crowds of all kinds.
When she meets schoolteachers, she talks about education and when she interacts with housewives, empowerment is the key word on her agenda.
The present hectic schedule in only a prelude to more chock-a-block days to follow. But Joshi and her team of followers seem more than up for it as they scurry from one place to another, garnering support from all quarters.