Ranchi MP humours youth, gods, as well as rival BJP
Sahai is seeking a repeat win from Ranchi LS seat
Never late and not a minute to lose, at sharp 10am, sitting Ranchi Congress MP Subodh Kant Sahai’s convoy of eight cars — all SUVs — leaves his E-37 duplex at HEC Sector 3 for Angara, a block around 30km from the state capital.
Among big cars is a black bullet-proof SUV that carries Sahai, seeking a repeat victory from Ranchi Lok Sabha constituency. Before leaving Ranchi, the MP makes stoppages at Kusai Colony and Sadabhar Chowk.
With no time to lose, the convoy makes speedy progress towards Tatisilwai, a suburb around 15 km from Ranchi.
One hour into his campaign on Friday, Sahai, dressed in a white kurta-pyjama and black flip-flops, made a halt at Tatisilwai Durga Mandir to offer prayers.
Soon after, the Congress leader met college students. On other lighter moments, he waved rival BJP party workers, as large speakers played songs promoting the party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
Appealing to locals for support in the elections at Bazart and Tatisilwai, Sahai said, “The Congress is a party for all. The party is determined to work for the youth and empowerment of women, unlike its rivals.”
The Ranchi MP was accompanied by senior member of state Cong ress committee Sundari Tirkey and Empower Jharkhand president Aditya Vikram Jaiswal.
Out of suburbs limits by 11.30am, Sahai and party workers held a padayatra (walk) meeting with the villagers, who had just started making good money at a haat, a village market.
Support poured in for Sahai as local leaders and masses thronged to wish him luck. “Subodh Bhai zindabaad, Congress party zindabaad,” shouted party workers.
Soon the leader was joined by around 150 motorcycles, ornamented with party flags and posters. Bikers revved their engines as Sahai campaigned for the palm - the Congress symbol.
“There is no doubt that he (Sahai) has a huge fan following among the youth. The BJP candidate here is no match for him,” said Jaiswal.
With the sun reaching its peak, the former Union minister, in his convoy, begins his second leg of the journey -a public meeting at in Angara’s Gundli Pokhar.
At 12.15pm in a meeting with women party workers, Sahai said, “The president of the party is Sonia Gandhi, a woman and a mother. It shows that unlike other national parties, women form the backbone for the Congress. This is a party for the masses.”
Completing the half-an-hour meet, Sahai is back on the road and takes the opportunity to munch sandwiches and biscuits. By 1.15pm, the Sahai’s campaign has already covered 30km.
After Angara, his convoy moves for a 59-km jour ney through Getalsud, Sikdri and Ormanjhi, for short meetings.
At 2 in the afternoon, the Congress leader addressed a gathering of the Muslim community at Irba.
Here, he said, “The Congress is a secular party. Its objective is all-round development.”
T he campaign ended at Kantatoli Chowk in Ranchi. Sahai manages to cover 105km of the countryside every day with the poll day, March 17, not far ahead. “Being on time always helps make a campaign successful,” says Sahai, who, in the evening, attended rallies in Doranda and Lalpur.